Meta Expands Louisiana Data Center to 5GW Scale

Meta increases its Richland Parish Hyperion data center investment to over $50 billion, targeting 5 gigawatts of compute capacity for AI.

Meta announced on Monday, July 13, 2026, that its Hyperion data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana, will expand to 5 gigawatts of compute capacity. Initially unveiled in December 2024 as a $10 billion project, the total investment now exceeds $50 billion. The facility is designed to train and run future AI models. To support this scale, Meta and Entergy Louisiana agreed on natural-gas plants providing 5.2 gigawatts of capacity and up to 2.5 gigawatts of new solar generation. A joint venture with Blue Owl Capital, which holds an 80% stake, values the infrastructure at $27 billion. Local impacts include $1.6 billion in contracts for Louisiana businesses, $1 billion for infrastructure improvements, and Richland Parish teacher bonuses rising to over $50,000. Meta, forecasting $145 billion in 2026 capital expenditures, will cut 8,000 jobs to fund these initiatives.