Meta is investing $10 billion to set up a massive artificial intelligence data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana. This will be the company’s largest data center globally, designed to process huge amounts of data for digital infrastructure and AI workloads.
The project comes as Meta announced its plans to add 1-4 gigawatts of new nuclear power generation capacity by the early 2030s to meet its AI and environmental goals. However, meeting soaring power demands with just nuclear energy will be challenging due to an ageing reactor fleet, regulatory hurdles, and local opposition.
To offset the data center’s electricity needs, Meta will work with utility Entergy, which provides electricity to parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The company expects construction to continue through 2030, with site work beginning in December.
As Big tech companies increasingly rely on AI computing, nuclear power is gaining renewed interest as a solution to meet growing energy demands. Meta’s move highlights the tech giant’s commitment to investing in sustainable energy solutions.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-invest-10-billion-louisiana-data-center-2024-12-04