Gas Power Plants Approved For Meta’s $10b Data Center, And Not Everyone Is Happy

When Meta selected a tract successful Louisiana for its largest information halfway to date, it signed a woody pinch Entergy to powerfulness nan tract pinch 3 monolithic earthy state powerfulness plants. Yesterday evening, a authorities regulator approved Entergy’s plans.

The powerfulness plants are expected to travel online successful 2028 and 2029, and astatine afloat strength, they’ll make 2.25 gigawatts of electricity. Ultimately, nan AI information halfway could tie 5 gigawatts of powerfulness arsenic its expanded.

The powerfulness works task has been arguable among Louisianans. 

One industry-affiliated group is concerned that Meta and Entergy will person typical curen for a 2nd portion of nan information halfway project, which involves building 1.5 gigawatts of star powerfulness crossed nan state, nan Louisiana Illuminator reports. The group was formed by ample companies, including Dow Chemical, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and others aft they struggled to procure renewable power for their ain operations.

The different rumor is that Meta’s woody pinch Entergy lasts for 15 years, and astatine slightest 1 Louisiana Public Service Commission personnel expressed interest that ratepayers will return connected nan costs aft nan statement expires. Natural state powerfulness plants typically run for 30 years aliases more.

Plus, powerfulness projects of this size thin to tally complete budget, according to nan Union of Concerned Scientists, and ratepayers are often near pinch nan bill. Ratepayers will besides salary for a $550 cardinal transmission statement moving to nan information center, nan statement said.

Meta has been connected a renewable power-buying spree, including a 100-megawatt acquisition announced this week. However, these earthy state generators will make nan company’s 2030 nett zero promise importantly harder to achieve, locking successful c dioxide emissions for decades to come. To offset nan contamination connected its equilibrium sheet, Meta will person to bargain credits from carbon removal projects.