Louisiana to host Meta’s largest AI data centre
AI computing spurs Meta’s $10 billion Louisiana project.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, plans to invest $10 billion to construct a state-of-the-art AI data centre in Richland Parish, Louisiana. Once completed, it will be the largest data centre in Meta’s global portfolio, designed to manage the vast data needs of AI and digital infrastructure. The facility is set to begin construction in December and is expected to take until 2030 to complete.
The company is working with Entergy, a utility provider operating in Louisiana, to ensure the centre’s energy consumption is fully matched by renewable sources. Entergy already supports similar projects, including Amazon’s upcoming cloud services facility in Mississippi, and operates two nuclear power plants in Louisiana.
As AI computing drives a surge in energy demand among tech giants like Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, companies are increasingly exploring nuclear power to supplement renewable energy. However, challenges such as an ageing reactor fleet, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain limitations for uranium fuel may slow the adoption of nuclear energy.
Meta recently sought proposals from nuclear power developers to support its AI and environmental goals, aiming for 1 to 4 gigawatts of new US nuclear capacity by the early 2030s. The Louisiana data centre is part of Meta’s broader strategy to integrate sustainability with cutting-edge AI technology.
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