NEW ORLEANS – In order to meet the hefty energy demands of Meta’s $10 billion AI data center project in Richland Parish, Entergy will construct three new natural gas-fired power plants over the next 3-4 years. The plants are intended to provide a combined capacity of approximately 2,260 megawatts, sufficient to support the 24/7 operational requirements of the 4-million-square-foot Meta facility.
But critics argue the strategy of relying on natural gas from the three new, long-lived fossil fuel plants directly undermines Meta’s own publicly stated commitment to reach net-zero emissions across its value chain by the end of 2030.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, has initiated a Senate inquiry questioning how the use of natural gas aligns with Meta’s climate goals and requesting detailed information on the project’s emissions and energy plans.
In addition, the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) is currently reviewing Entergy’s proposal which includes a request to recover the estimated $3-5 billion construction cost from its 1.1 million customers.
The Union of Concerned Scientists, the Alliance for Affordable Energy, and the Southern Renewable Energy Association have all argued that the plan unfairly burdens ratepayers with the costs of infrastructure which primarily benefits a single corporate entity and that it significantly increases greenhouse gas emissions.
The Alliance for Affordable Energy, a New Orleans-based consumer advocacy group, filed motions with the LPSC seeking greater transparency from Meta regarding its energy demands. The Union of Concerned Scientists joined them in challenging Entergy’s proposal, emphasizing the risks of increased pollution and higher electricity costs for residents and highlighting the lack of transparency in the project’s planning process.
The first motion requests the LPSC to deny Entergy’s request for an exemption from the state’s Request for Proposals (RFP) process. They argued that Entergy’s application did not comply with the standard RFP policy, which is designed to ensure that utilities consider the most cost-effective options for meeting electricity demands. The motion emphasized that bypassing this process could lead to higher costs for ratepayers. The LPSC has not issued a final decision on it.
However, the second motion, which would have required Meta to participate in the LPSC’s review of Entergy’s plant construction proposal, was dismissed by Administrative Law Judge Melanie Verzwyvelt on April 4. She noted that the advocacy groups still have alternative avenues, such as subpoenas or depositions, to obtain information from Meta.
Despite this setback, advocacy groups continue to push for transparency and accountability, emphasizing the need for public scrutiny of the environmental and economic implications of the project.
Direct reliance on fossil fuels
According to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Meta’s use of gas would lock in carbon-intensive infrastructure for decades, raising questions about whether its “net-zero” goal is actually achievable.
“Meta’s commitment to climate leadership is inconsistent with relying on new fossil fuel infrastructure to power its operations,” said Whitehouse.
The proposed power plan also lacks a binding requirement that renewable energy be generated locally or concurrently with consumption raising concerns about “renewable energy accounting loopholes,” where a company matches its total annual consumption with renewable energy certificates (RECs) but still relies on fossil fuels for real-time operation.
“RECs allow companies to claim 100% renewable use while physically consuming fossil energy from the grid or specific gas plants,” said Mark Kresowik, Eastern Region Director at UCS. “This undermines real emissions reductions and public trust.”
Mismatch between plant lifespan and net-zero deadline
Natural gas plants typically have operational lifespans of 40–50 years, and consumer advocates warn that the mismatch between this and the 15-year agreement with Meta could leave Louisiana ratepayers bearing the environmental and financial burden of operating fossil fuel infrastructure long after Meta’s contract ends—potentially decades beyond the company’s 2030 net-zero emissions target.
“A short-term corporate deal should not result in long-term public consequences,” said Logan Burke, executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy.
Meta and Entergy Positions
Meta maintains that it will match its electricity use with investments in renewable energy and is exploring carbon capture technologies to mitigate environmental impacts while Entergy argues that natural gas is currently the most feasible option to meet the data center’s 24/7 power requirements and asserts that Meta will cover a significant portion of the associated costs, aiming to minimize the financial impact on other customers.
