Up to Data (Centers): What’s Ahead for Data Centers, Technology, and Energy in Louisiana
In 2025, Louisiana cemented itself as an up-and-coming force in the tech industry. From leading the nation in Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program approvals, to showcasing artificial intelligence (AI) powered breakthroughs in our universities and hospitals, to breaking ground on multibillion-dollar data centers, the state has been busy attracting industry and innovation. As the Louisiana tech industry continues to grow, AI data centers will be a major player in the coming year, presenting new victories and challenges for the state to navigate.
When Meta announced its plans to build its largest AI data center yet in Richland Parish in late 2024, it was only a matter of time before other major tech companies followed suit. Drawn to the pro-business environment of Louisiana, a state with abundant energy and the determination to leverage it, investors turned their eye to the opportunities of our state. 2026 will mark significant progress for the Meta data center, the newly announced $10 billion plus Hut8 data center, and potentially another large data center in Shreveport.
Along with the progress of physical construction, the respective locations for these centers can expect increased jobs and business. In the short term, construction workers can participate in what the Wall Street Journal referred to as a “Gold Rush” of high demand and high wages around data center sites. Long term, data centers can create high wage jobs and attract additional tech business, creating even more job opportunities-a major benefit for the parishes hosting these centers.
Along with an increase in jobs, wages, and commerce, data centers mark an increased demand for energy. A common narrative perpetuated around data centers is that this demand will break the infrastructure of their host communities. Far from creating scarcity or straining the grid, the steady and reliable energy needs of data centers along with their billion-dollar price tag is an opportunity for states to galvanize their grid and modernize their power systems. The major tech companies building data centers are eager to supply states with the resources and brain power to solve energy problems as they arise and promote a sustainable system.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright explained in early January that the marriage of tech innovation and energy assets is a perfect match. American utility bills can be lowered by encouraging the most efficient and ingenious use of grid assets. Wright said, “the faster we build data centers and we reshore manufacturing in the U.S., that’s actually going to be a force and will ultimately drive down average electricity prices.” While the data centers around Louisiana and the United States bring increased energy demands, they also bring the funds, strategy, and innovation to help states meet those demands and beyond.
2026 promises to be another transformative year for the Pelican State. As years of planning begin to solidify in the construction of data centers, Louisiana has the opportunity and the challenge of creating a system where energy is abundant, affordable, and available for residents, businesses, and data centers for years to come.
Links to Learn More
The Data Center Price Myth-Reason Magazine
Digital Foundations: The Essential Guide to Data Centers and Their Growth-James Madison Institute
Hut 8 Selects Southeast Louisiana as Site of $10 Billion Artificial Intelligence Data Center – LED
