RAYVILLE – Entergy Louisiana said Friday that it has teamed up with Facebook parent company Meta to support its data center in northeast Louisiana.

Entergy says the agreement is expected to deliver approximately $2.65 billion in total customer benefits over two decades.

"This agreement reflects what’s possible when strong partners align around long-term growth and value," said Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana. "Working with our customers, regulators and state leaders, we are making targeted investments that strengthen reliability, support economic development and deliver meaningful benefits to customers — all while keeping energy rates affordable, which aligns perfectly with Meta’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge and Entergy’s Fair Share Plus pledge."

Entergy says the customer benefits will help offset fixed costs, which include resilience and storm-related investments.

Meta is also investigating $120 million for Entergy’s The Power to Care program, $140 million for energy efficiency initiatives for vulnerable customers and support for incremental carbon-free nuclear and solar energy infrastructure, Entergy says. 

The Richland development is expected to create thousands of construction jobs from 2026 to 2031, as well as hundreds of more permanent jobs.

Entergy says Meta is paying for seven natural gas-fueled combined-cycle power plants for the project, as well as 240 miles of new transmission lines and nuclear power and energy storage upgrades. WBRZ previously reported that the Public Service Commission approved three new Entergy plants to power the $10 billion development in Richland Parish. 

Residents have expressed concerns about the plant and its water consumption, as well as where the funding for the project's infrastructure would come from.