This Louisiana Data Center Will Be Larger Than All of Manhattan

Shreveport and Bossier leaders have been keeping a close eye on what's happening in Richland Parish with the Meta Data Center complex. And now there is big news from northeast Louisiana. Meta has announced they are doubling the size of the data center to 5 gigawatts of power. This expansion pushes the price tag of the complex from $10 billion to $50 billion dollars. This also means the northeast Louisiana facility will make it one of the largest artificial intelligence facilities in the world.

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Governor Jeff Landry and other state leaders are excited about this expansion and say this is the project Louisiana has waited generations for. The Meta Data Center is being built on a site that is about five square miles and has more than 3,200 acres. It will actually be larger than Manhattan in New York. Meta President Dina Powell McCormick, says they anticipate the project will be completed in 2036.

What This Means for Jobs in Northeast Louisiana

This expansion will bump up the workforce needed for construction to 7,500 which is about 50% more than originally anticipated. And the number of permanent jobs is doubling to 1,000 once both phases of the project are fully operational.

Meta is also investing big money in the region. They are spending at least a billion dollars on roads, water and wastewater in the region. They are also donating money to Louisiana Delta Community College to train residents for data center jobs. This windfall has also helped teachers in Richland Parish who each got bonuses of as much as $50,000 from Meta investments.

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Supplying Energy For the Meta Complex

Meta will be paying for 10 new Entergy power plants that will supply juice for this monster complex. The company is also putting in 240 miles of transmission lines and battery storage systems. McCormick assures residents that this data center will not drive up energy costs for Entergy customers.

Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis says this investment by Meta is a major opportunity for the region and its future workforce. “At more than $50 billion, this is one of the largest single private investments in American history, and it’s happening right here in Northeast Louisiana. It sends a powerful message that Meta has confidence not only in Louisiana, but in our people.”