Louisiana is becoming an increasingly important destination for large-scale data center development, with hyperscale and AI infrastructure driving billions of dollars in new investment. Blackridge Research tracks 13 upcoming data center projects in Louisiana, representing approximately 7.8 GW of planned capacity and USD 204.2 billion in construction expenditure. The average investment per project is approximately USD 15.7 billion.

The Meta Hyperion Data Center Campus, Amazon/STACK Northwest Louisiana Campuses, Applied Digital Delta Forge 1, Hut 8 River Bend AI Data Center Campus, and ONE Nuclear Project Cayman are among the largest new data center developments in Louisiana. These projects highlight the state's growing role in hyperscale and AI infrastructure, while also driving significant investment in power generation, transmission, water infrastructure, and supporting facilities.

This article explores the top 5 new data center projects in Louisiana, comparing their planned capacity, location, developer, investment, development stage, and expected timelines.

List of New Upcoming Data Center Projects in Louisiana 2026

Meta Hyperion Data Center Campus

The Meta Hyperion Data Center is a large-scale AI data center campus in Richland Parish, Louisiana. The project is one of the largest data centres by Meta as an AI supercluster and is planned to scale to approximately 5 GW (5,000 MW) of power and compute capacity. The campus is expected to span nearly 10 million square feet across multiple buildings, with total investment estimated at more than USD 50 billion.

Capacity and Power Infrastructure

The Hyperion campus is planned for 5 GW of continuous power capacity to support high-density AI workloads. The first approximately 2 GW is targeted for operation by 2030, with the full 5 GW build-out planned by 2032.

The campus is being supported by Entergy Louisiana through major transmission infrastructure upgrades, additional solar generation and dedicated natural gas generation. The development is also expected to use substantial water resources for cooling, with reported permits covering approximately 23 million gallons per day across dedicated wells.

The project covers approximately 3,650 acres at the Franklin Farm site and is expected to reach nearly 10 million square feet of data center space across a multi-building campus.

Development Status and Timeline

• December 2024: Construction began on the Hyperion campus.

• 2025: Meta expanded the planned campus and increased its target capacity to approximately 5 GW.

• 2025: Meta announced a joint venture with funds managed by Blue Owl Capital to finance and develop the campus.

• 2030: The first approximately 2 GW of capacity is targeted to become operational.

• 2032: Full 5 GW build-out is targeted for completion.

• Current Status: Under construction and expanding in multiple phases.

Key Contractors and Partners

Amazon / STACK Northwest Louisiana Campuses

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and STACK Infrastructure are developing a multi-site data center campus network across Caddo and Bossier parishes and Shreveport, Louisiana. The development represents an expanded USD 18 billion investment, comprising three data center campuses. STACK Infrastructure is developing and owning the facilities, while Amazon is the technology customer. The initial USD 12 billion development was expanded by an additional USD 6 billion in August 2026.

Capacity and Power Infrastructure

The three-campus development is expected to include large-scale AI and cloud data center facilities, with individual campuses planned to span approximately 2 million to 3 million square feet. 

Power infrastructure is being developed in coordination with Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), with the project expected to support significant grid upgrades and up to 200 MW of additional solar generation.

Amazon has also committed up to USD 400 million toward public water and wastewater infrastructure improvements associated with the data center development. The campuses are designed primarily around air cooling, with water-based cooling expected to be used during periods of higher temperatures.

Development Status and Timeline

• February 23, 2026: Amazon and STACK announced the initial USD 12 billion investment covering two data center campuses in Caddo and Bossier parishes.

• June 10, 2026: STACK announced community investment and support initiatives associated with the development.

• August 18, 2026: Amazon and STACK announced an additional USD 6 billion investment for a third campus at Resilient Technology Park in Shreveport.

• 2026: Development and infrastructure planning are progressing across the three sites.

• Current Status: Planned / under development.

Key Contractors and Partners

Applied Digital "Delta Forge 1"

Applied Digital's Delta Forge 1 is a 430 MW AI factory campus in Rapides Parish, Central Louisiana. The project is designed to support up to 300 MW of critical IT load for high-density AI and high-performance computing workloads. Phase I includes two 150 MW facilities, with initial operations targeted for mid-2027.

Capacity and Power Infrastructure

Delta Forge 1 will have 430 MW of total utility power capacity supporting up to 300 MW of critical IT load. The initial development consists of two 150 MW facilities on a campus spanning more than 500 acres.

The campus is designed for high-density AI workloads and will use advanced closed-loop cooling systems. The project has direct utility power integration to support its large-scale computing infrastructure.

Applied Digital signed a 15-year, take-or-pay lease valued at approximately USD 7.5 billion covering the 300 MW critical IT load. The tenant is an undisclosed U.S.-based, high-investment-grade hyperscaler.

Development Status and Timeline

• January 2026: Applied Digital broke ground on Delta Forge 1 in Rapides Parish, Louisiana.

• April 2026: Applied Digital signed a USD 7.5 billion, 15-year lease covering 300 MW of critical IT load.

• Mid-2027: Initial operations are targeted.

• 2028 and beyond: Further campus expansion is planned.

Key Contractors and Partners

Hut 8 River Bend AI Data Center Campus

Source: Big New Orleans

The Hut 8 River Bend AI Data Center Campus is a major artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure project in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, near St. Francisville. The campus spans roughly 592 to 627 acres and is planned to support high-performance AI computing. Phase I represents an investment of up to USD 10 billion and includes 245 MW of IT capacity, backed by 330 MW of utility power from Entergy Louisiana.

Capacity and Power Infrastructure

Phase I will provide 245 MW of critical IT load under a 15-year lease with Fluidstack. Entergy Louisiana is supplying approximately 330 MW of utility capacity, while the broader campus is designed to scale beyond 1 GW of utility capacity.

The development includes approximately 1.6 million square feet of planned data center space. Hut 8 has committed USD 16 million to expand local water infrastructure, including a new well and approximately eight miles of water mains. The campus will use a closed-loop cooling system for its AI workloads.

The initial phase is supported by a USD 7 billion, 15-year lease agreement with Fluidstack, tied to AI infrastructure for Anthropic and backed by Google. The agreement could reach approximately USD 17.7 billion through renewal options and additional expansion rights.

Development Status and Timeline

• March 2025: Hut 8 secured approximately 592 acres in West Feliciana Parish for the mixed Bitcoin and AI infrastructure campus.

• December 2025: Hut 8 announced the River Bend AI data center project and signed the 15-year, 245 MW lease agreement with Fluidstack.

• December 2025: The project was announced as a potential USD 10 billion Phase I investment.

• May 2026: Hut 8 committed USD 16 million to expand the local water system, including a new well and eight miles of water mains.

• Mid-2026: Construction was underway, with up to approximately 1,000 construction workers expected at peak.

• Q2 2027: Initial facilities are targeted for commissioning and operations.

Key Contractors and Partners 

Read Next: Hut 8 Commercializes First Phase of 1 GW Beacon Point AI Data Center Campus

Project Cayman Data Center by ONE Nuclear Energy

Project Cayman by ONE Nuclear Energy is a planned 2.88 GW energy and digital infrastructure development in Louisiana. The project combines a large natural gas-fired power plant, battery storage and a co-located data center campus. It is planned near RiverPlex MegaPark, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Capacity and Power Infrastructure

Project Cayman will feature a 2.88 GW natural gas-fired power plant providing dispatchable electricity for the development. The project also includes a 700 MW / 2.88 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS).

The planned data center campus will be co-located with the power generation facilities, allowing it to access dedicated power infrastructure. The development is also expected to coordinate with Entergy's regional transmission upgrades.

ONE Nuclear Energy secured site control through a binding letter of intent announced on August 31, 2026 with a local landowner group.

Development Status and Timeline

• August 31, 2026: ONE Nuclear Energy announced a binding LOI securing site control for Project Cayman.

• August 2026: The company disclosed plans for the 2.88 GW natural gas plant, 700 MW BESS and co-located data center campus.

• Current Status: Planned development. The project remains in the development and planning stage.

Key Contractors and Partners

Data Center Locations in Louisiana

Louisiana's data center footprint includes an established base of enterprise and colocation facilities in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport, alongside a rapidly expanding hyperscale and AI infrastructure pipeline.

The largest new data center developments are moving into areas with access to large parcels of land and expandable power infrastructure. Richland Parish is home to Meta's Hyperion campus, located between Rayville and Delhi. Caddo and Bossier parishes form the core of Amazon and STACK Infrastructure's Northwest Louisiana program. 

Rapides Parish hosts Applied Digital's Delta Forge 1, while West Feliciana Parish is home to Hut 8's River Bend AI data center campus. ONE Nuclear Energy's proposed Project Cayman adds a new development near Ascension Parish.

Richland Parish and Rayville

Richland Parish has become Louisiana's largest emerging data center location because of Meta's Hyperion campus. The project occupies approximately 2,250 acres between Rayville and Delhi and is planned as a multi-phase AI data center campus.

The development is also driving dedicated power infrastructure, including the Franklin Farms Power Station and Smalling Substation, as well as new transmission facilities and additional generation planned by Entergy.

Shreveport and Northwest Louisiana

Shreveport and neighboring Bossier Parish represent another major growth center. Amazon and STACK Infrastructure are developing a multi-campus data center program across the two parishes.

The projects are supported by SWEPCO transmission and substation infrastructure and are designed around separate power connections to improve redundancy.

Other Emerging Locations

Rapides Parish is becoming an important AI data center location through Applied Digital's Delta Forge 1 campus. West Feliciana Parish is home to Hut 8's River Bend campus, which has Anthropic as an anchor tenant through Fluidstack. Ascension Parish could become another major data center location if ONE Nuclear Energy's Project Cayman advances beyond its current early stage.

Data Center Market in Louisiana

Louisiana's data center market is transitioning from a relatively small enterprise and colocation base into a large-scale hyperscale and AI infrastructure market. 

Why Are Data Centers Being Built in Louisiana?

Several factors are supporting the state's data center expansion:

• Power availability: Entergy Louisiana, SWEPCO, and Cleco are developing large-scale power infrastructure to support new data center loads.

• Land availability: Major projects can secure large parcels outside densely populated metropolitan areas.

• Industrial infrastructure: Louisiana has an established industrial workforce and experience developing large energy and manufacturing facilities.

• Fiber connectivity: The state provides access to regional and national fiber networks across the Gulf South.

• Tax incentives: Louisiana's Act 730 provides qualifying data centers with long-term sales and use tax benefits.

• Regional connectivity: Louisiana's location provides access to the broader Gulf Coast and Texas technology and energy markets.

Power Infrastructure

Power has become one of the defining characteristics of Louisiana's data center market. Meta's Hyperion campus alone is driving multiple new generation and transmission projects in northeast Louisiana.

Entergy's infrastructure program includes new gas generation, transmission lines, substations, and renewable energy resources. SWEPCO is developing infrastructure for Amazon's Northwest Louisiana campuses, while Cleco is supporting Applied Digital's Delta Forge 1 development.

This makes power availability and the ability to expand generation and transmission a central factor in Louisiana's competitiveness for AI data center projects.

Water and Cooling

Water infrastructure is another consideration as Louisiana's data center pipeline grows. Amazon has committed up to USD 400 million toward regional water infrastructure associated with its Northwest Louisiana development.

Publicly available information on the exact cooling technologies and water consumption of individual campuses remains limited. The scale of the new projects means water requirements and cooling systems will remain important considerations as construction progresses.

Economic Impact

The data center expansion is creating significant construction and infrastructure activity across Louisiana. Meta's Hyperion project alone is expected to employ thousands of construction workers during peak development, while the Amazon, Applied Digital, and Hut 8 projects are generating additional construction and permanent employment.

The projects are also stimulating investment beyond the data center campuses themselves, particularly in power generation, transmission, substations, roads, water systems, and other supporting infrastructure.

Conclusion

Louisiana's data center pipeline has expanded rapidly, with 13 upcoming projects representing 7.8 GW of capacity and USD 204.2 billion in construction expenditure. Most of the tracked projects are already in the execution stage, with 10 projects accounting for 7.8 GW and USD 183.7 billion in construction expenditure.

The Meta Hyperion, Amazon/STACK, Applied Digital Delta Forge 1, Hut 8 River Bend, and ONE Nuclear Project Cayman developments are central to this expansion. Their scale is also creating demand for new generation, transmission, water infrastructure, and other supporting facilities. As Louisiana's pipeline moves forward, power availability, infrastructure development, permitting, and the ability to support high-density AI workloads will remain key factors shaping the state's data center market.

Find Upcoming Data Center Projects in Louisiana, USA

Unlock United States Data Center Opportunities! Introducing Blackridge Research's Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform:

• Instant access to the latest Data Center Facility Projects in the United States

• Comprehensive insights from planning to completion

• Essential details: scope, CapEx, timelines, and key contacts

• User-friendly interface for quick opportunity identification

Want more data center construction insights, including planned projects, active companies, and key decision-makers? Get started with our project tracker demo today.

Why Blackridge’s Global Projects Tracker? 

Blackridge’s Global Projects Tracker covers projects from 150 countries and is updated with real-time, accurate, and authentic project developments. By subscribing to our United States Data Center projects database, you can get access to key contact details of ongoing and upcoming projects, project timelines and overviews, and regular alerts on project developments, all served to you through an easy-to-use interface.