Meta Richland Parish data center (Hyperion)
Meta's AI data center campus in Richland Parish, announced at $10 billion in December 2024 and expanded in July 2026 to more than $50 billion and 5 GW of IT capacity, powered by new Entergy gas plants approved by the Public Service Commission. Also known as: Hyperion, Laidley LLC, Evest LLC, Franklin Farm megasite.
Who is behind it
The record, newest first
The Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Union of Concerned Scientists said they had appealed the Commission's subpoena decision to the 19th Judicial District Court (reported by the groups; the court record was not obtained). (Union of Concerned Scientists (news release), Sept. 28, 2026)
The Commission accepted a stipulation between Entergy and the two nonprofit groups on their access to confidential filings and vacated the judge's earlier ruling on it. (Louisiana Public Service Commission, Oct. 16, 2026)
The Commission voted 3-1 (Commissioner Lewis opposed, Commissioner Campbell absent) to reverse an administrative law judge's ruling and vacate a subpoena that would have required Meta to produce documents on the campus's investment, jobs and power needs. (Louisiana Public Service Commission, Sept. 17, 2026)
Reported: the Gulf States Newsroom said the Word file of the motion approving the Aug. 20, 2025 settlement, offered as Commissioner Foster Campbell's, lists an Entergy Louisiana regulatory affairs vice president as its author, and that the text read into the record closely follows that file; it reported the same executive's edits to a March 2025 motion on a Hyundai Steel transmission project. The report does not say any rule was broken. Entergy and the commissioners did not comment in the report; the Commission's own records were not checked for this. (Gulf States Newsroom (WBHM / WWNO), Aug. 11, 2026)
Meta and the governor announced an expansion to more than $50 billion, nearly 10 million square feet and 5 GW of IT capacity, with about 1,000 operational jobs. (Louisiana Economic Development, July 13, 2026; WRKF / WWNO (Gulf States Newsroom), July 14, 2026)
The Commission voted 4-1, Commissioner Lewis opposed, to schedule its decision on the second application for Dec. 16, 2026. (Louisiana Public Service Commission, May 14, 2026)
Entergy filed a second application, for 5,278 MW of new generation plus batteries and transmission, to serve Meta subsidiary Evest LLC's data center next to the first one (Docket U-37882). (Louisiana Public Service Commission, Sept. 17, 2026; Louisiana Public Service Commission, March 27, 2026; Louisiana Public Service Commission, March 26, 2026)
The Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Union of Concerned Scientists asked the Commission to investigate a new financing arrangement for the Hyperion data center; Entergy filed an opposition on Feb. 13, 2026. No ruling appears in the docket list as of Oct. 26, 2026. (Louisiana Public Service Commission, Nov. 4, 2024)
The Commission approved a settlement among Entergy, Commission Staff and several intervenors 4-1, with Commissioner Davante Lewis objecting; the order was issued Aug. 29, 2025. (Louisiana Public Service Commission, Aug. 29, 2025; Louisiana Public Service Commission, Aug. 20, 2025)
The administrative law judge ruled that Meta and Laidley did not have to join the case as parties, as several nonprofit groups had asked. (The Advocate (via GovTech), April 8, 2025; Louisiana Public Service Commission, Nov. 4, 2024)
The state announced Meta's $10 billion data center on the 2,250-acre former Franklin Farm megasite, with 500 or more direct jobs projected. (Louisiana Economic Development, Dec. 4, 2024)
Entergy Louisiana asked the Public Service Commission to approve three new gas-fired combined-cycle units and transmission to serve a data center being built by Meta subsidiary Laidley LLC in Richland Parish (Docket U-37425). (Louisiana Public Service Commission, Aug. 29, 2025; Louisiana Public Service Commission, Nov. 4, 2024)
Conflicts and open questions
- Power plants are not counted in the power figure: Order U-37425 covers three combined-cycle gas units; Docket U-37882 asks for 5,278 MW more. The LED release of July 13, 2026 describes seven new gas plants, three batteries and nuclear uprates under the companies' latest agreement.
- The August 2025 order gives the first phase's investment as at least $5 billion and more than 500 permanent employees, from Entergy's application; the state announced $10 billion.
- Site size: 2,250 acres in the 2024 state release; reporting on the 2026 expansion gives more than 3,200 acres. The 2026 release gives nearly 10 million square feet.
- Water use and well permits were not reviewed.
The full record
- Status note
- Under construction since the December 2024 announcement; in July 2026 Meta said it would more than double the campus. Entergy's application for the power plants for the second phase (Evest LLC) is set for a Commission vote on Dec. 16, 2026.
- Power note
- 5 gigawatts of IT capacity once both phases are built, as stated in Louisiana Economic Development's July 13, 2026 release. Generation for the campus is separate and not counted here: three new combined-cycle gas units approved in Order U-37425 (two near the site, one at Waterford near Killona) and 5,278 MW of new generation plus batteries and transmission requested in Docket U-37882 for the second phase.
- Evidence
- Primary public records
- Size class
- 50 MW or more (tracker scope)