USA, Louisiana: Entergy has announced plans to construct a $1.2 B, 160-km (100-mi) 500 kV transmission line in northeast Louisiana to support Meta’s forthcoming 2 GW data centre, Hyperion. The mega campus, located between Rayville and Delhi in Richland Parish, is slated for phased development through 2030.
According to the 2025 MISO Transmission Plan, the transmission project is expected to be operational by December 2026, significantly earlier than expected. It forms part of a broader infrastructure investment by Entergy to support the data centre’s substantial energy demands.
In addition to the high-voltage line, Entergy has proposed three combined-cycle combustion turbines totalling 2,260 MW, two substations, six customer-owned substations, and eight new 230 kV transmission lines. These assets are expected to enter service between 2028 and 2029, pending regulatory approval.
The Louisiana Public Service Commission staff and several stakeholders have reached a settlement recommending approval of Entergy’s investment request to integrate the data centre into its system.
The project has faced opposition from environmental groups, who argue that Entergy failed to explore more cost-effective and sustainable alternatives. Despite these concerns, Meta has committed to covering the full annual revenue for the plants over a 15-year period, reducing cost burdens for Entergy’s customers.
Entergy CEO Drew Marsh revealed during the company’s earnings call that the utility is seeing strong demand from the data centre sector, with opportunities in the 5 GW to 10 GW range. In response, Entergy has raised its four-year capital expenditure forecast by $3 B to support industrial and digital growth.
Source: Data Center Dynamics
