Meta expands Louisiana data center to 5 gigawatts, boosting AI infrastructure
Meta announced a $50 billion expansion of its Richland Parish data center to 5 GW, creating over 1,000 jobs and funding local infrastructure and scholarships.
Meta said it will increase the compute capacity of its Richland Parish, Louisiana, data center to 5 gigawatts, making the site one of the largest in history. The expansion brings the company's total investment in the area to more than $50 billion, positioning it among the biggest AI infrastructure projects worldwide.
The company expects the facility to support more than 1,000 jobs once fully operational. Since breaking ground in December 2024, local businesses have received contracts worth over $1.6 billion. Meta also plans to spend more than $1 billion on upgrades to roads, water and wastewater systems, and it has negotiated an energy agreement projected to save Entergy Louisiana customers over $2 billion over two decades.
Local officials noted the project’s impact on the rural community of about 20,000 residents. Superintendent Sheldon Jones said the investment has enabled the school district to offer larger bonuses to teachers and attract stronger candidates. Meta is contributing $5 million to Louisiana Delta Community College for scholarships aimed at residents training for data-center jobs, with full scholarships available to all Richland Parish high-school graduates starting with the class of 2026.
The expansion follows Meta's earlier announcement of a nationwide skilled-trades training program, America’s Workforce Academy, which offers free tuition and guaranteed employment for graduates.