Data centers in Louisiana

📜 State laws

Data center sales tax law (2024) · 2024
In 2024 lawmakers created a state and local sales tax break for big data centers (Act 730, House Bill 827). Later in 2024 it was changed from a rebate to a straight exemption. To qualify, a data center must promise at least 50 new permanent jobs and at least $200 million of new investment in Louisiana between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2029. See 'Tax breaks' for details. Source

House Bill 922: keep data center power costs off household bills (did not pass) · April 21, 2026
HB 922 would have stopped regulated electric companies from raising household rates because of new demand from data centers. It got a hearing in the House Commerce Committee on April 21, 2026, but never left committee. The 2026 regular session ended June 1, so the bill died. Source

House Bill 1206: water permits and water reports for data centers (did not pass) · April 28, 2026
HB 1206 would have made data centers that plan to use more than 100 million gallons of water a year get a permit from the Department of Conservation and Energy, file water-use reports that the state posts online, and face a public hearing (with notice to the parish) before state permits were issued. It got a hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee on April 28, 2026, but never left committee and died when the session ended. Source

Governor's order: new conditions for the data center tax break (June 2026) · June 25, 2026
On June 25, 2026, Governor Jeff Landry signed Executive Order 26-058, the 'Louisiana Ratepayer and Community Protection Initiative.' It tells Louisiana Economic Development (LED) to write conditions within 90 days that every data center must meet to get or keep the sales tax break. Before a data center gets the break, LED must weigh its use of water, power, power lines and land against its benefits. Companies must promise to fully pay for the new power plants and power lines they need, so costs do not shift to homes and businesses, and must give written statements (attestations) to LED. The order is not a law: it only covers projects that want the state tax break, and it does not change the Public Service Commission's power over electric rates. Source

💡 Who pays for the power

Who sets your electric rates · 2026
The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) has five elected commissioners. It regulates rates and new power plants for most utilities in the state, including Entergy Louisiana, Cleco and SWEPCO. Its decisions on data center power plants decide how much of the cost lands on household bills. Source

'Lightning' fast-track for big new customers (December 2025) · Dec 17, 2025
On December 17, 2025, the PSC voted 4-1 for the 'Lightning' directive (also called the Lightning Amendment). It lets a utility skip the usual competitive bidding for new power plants when it is serving a big new customer such as a data center, and aims to decide these cases in about 8 months. To qualify, the customer must sign a power contract of at least 15 years, pay at least half of the cost of the new capacity, and have a support letter from the LED secretary. Commissioner Davante Lewis voted no. Consumer groups say other customers could end up paying the rest of the cost, because a gas plant is paid off over about 30 years. Source

Three gas plants for Meta's Richland Parish data center (approved August 2025) · Aug 20, 2025
On August 20, 2025, the PSC voted 4-1 to approve a settlement letting Entergy Louisiana build three gas power plants (more than $3 billion) and a power line for Meta's data center in Richland Parish. Two plants are in Richland Parish and one at Entergy's Waterford site in St. Charles Parish. Commissioner Davante Lewis voted no, saying the deal did not do enough to protect other customers from risk. Source

Seven more gas plants for Meta's expansion (pending, docket U-37882) · March 27, 2026
On March 27, 2026, Entergy Louisiana asked the PSC to approve power plants and other projects for Meta's bigger data center (docket U-37882). The plan includes seven new gas plants, about 240 miles of new power lines and other upgrades; news reports put the cost at about $13 billion. On April 15, 2026, the PSC voted 4-1 to fast-track the case, with a vote planned for December 2026. Entergy says Meta pays for the plants and that Meta will save other customers about $2.6 billion over 20 years. Consumer groups say they cannot check this because so much is kept confidential. Source

Entergy drops plan to buy a Texas power plant (2026) · Aug 5, 2026
Entergy Louisiana wanted to buy the Cottonwood gas plant in Newton County, Texas, for about $1.8 billion. A consultant for the PSC found the need was driven mainly by Meta's data center, not general growth, and estimated the average home bill would rise about $9 a month. After pushback, including from Governor Landry, Entergy withdrew the plan in summer 2026 and says it may try again later. Source

PSC working on large-load guidelines · May 7, 2026
On May 7, 2026, PSC staff held a technical meeting on non-binding guidelines for very large new customers like data centers: how to define a 'large load,' who pays for new power plants and lines, what happens if the customer leaves early, and when its power can be cut in an emergency. We did not find final guidelines as of October 7, 2026. Source

💵 Tax breaks

Sales tax exemption for data centers (20 years) · July 1, 2024
Approved data centers pay no state or local sales tax on servers and other data center equipment, or on building materials, construction, design and labor for the data center, for purchases made on or after July 1, 2024. To be certified by LED, a data center must swear it will create at least 50 new permanent jobs and invest at least $200 million in Louisiana between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2029. The deal with LED lasts 20 years and can be renewed for 10 more. LED can end the deal and the state and local governments can collect the taxes if the company does not keep its promises. LED can add other conditions, which is how the June 2026 executive order works. Source

Local property tax deals (payments in lieu of taxes) · Dec 4, 2025
Property tax breaks for data centers are usually local deals called PILOTs (payments in place of taxes). A public body takes title to the data center and leases it back, so the company pays an agreed yearly amount instead of full property taxes. Example: in December 2025 the Caddo Parish Commission approved PILOT term sheets through the Northwest Louisiana Finance Authority for data centers. LED says Meta's property tax deal was negotiated directly with Richland Parish officials, with no state role in setting the terms. Source

🤐 Secret deals and public records

Secret deals (NDAs) are legal and common · Aug 27, 2026
No Louisiana law stops officials from signing secret deals (NDAs) with developers. Records requests by the Gulf States Newsroom and Type Investigations found at least 54 NDAs signed by elected officials in Louisiana since early 2024, about many kinds of projects. For the Applied Digital data center near Boyce (Rapides Parish), at least five state senators, the parish assessor and every member of a state-created industrial development board signed NDAs under the code names 'Project Lightning' and 'Project Pixel.' LED's secretary says NDAs are 'fundamental' to economic development. West Feliciana Parish built a deal for a data center without NDAs and posted the project information online. Source

PSC lets Meta keep data center details secret (August 2026) · Aug 12, 2026
On August 12, 2026, the PSC voted 3-1 to overrule a judge who had ordered Meta to hand over facts about jobs, investment and power use for its Richland Parish data center, in the case about Entergy's new gas plants. Commissioners Coussan, Francis and Skrmetta voted yes; Commissioner Lewis voted no. In September 2026 the PSC accepted an agreement between Entergy and the consumer groups and cancelled an August 6 judge's ruling on how confidential information is handled. Source

How the public records law works · 2023
Under Louisiana's public records law (R.S. 44:31), any person who is an adult (age of majority) may look at, copy or get copies of public records, including emails and texts used for public business. You do not need to say why. The office must answer within 5 working days; if it withholds a record it must say in writing which exemption it uses. If a record is in use, it must set a time within 3 days. If you are denied or get no answer, you can sue in district court (R.S. 44:35) and may win attorney fees and damages. Source

💧 Water

No state permit for data center water use · Dec 2025
Louisiana has no permit or reporting rule for how much water a data center uses. Wells must be registered with the Department of Conservation and Energy, but there is no state review of the amount pumped. Meta's Richland Parish data center plans to pump from the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer; Meta says it will use about 500 to 600 million gallons a year. A bill to require data center water permits and reports (HB 1206) died in 2026. Source

Local water systems decide water sales · Dec 2025
When a data center buys water from a town or water system, the local council decides. Example: Blanchard's town council approved a deal to sell Caddo Lake water to the State Line data center campus in December 2025. Source

🌫️ Air and generators

Air permits for generators and boilers (LDEQ) · Aug 4, 2026
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) issues air permits for data center diesel backup generators, boilers and gas plants. Example: LDEQ gave Meta's Richland Parish data center (filed as Laidley LLC) a 'minor source' permit in July 2025 for 31 emergency diesel generators, and in June 2026 approved adding 44 gas-fired water boilers. Its limits came to just under 100 tons a year of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, the line for a stricter 'major source' permit. In July 2026 the Sierra Club asked LDEQ for a major source permit and a public hearing. The gas plants that power the data center are permitted separately, by Entergy. Source

🙋 How to have your say

Who decides a data center near you · 2026
Inside a city, town or village, the local council (often after a planning or zoning commission) decides zoning. Outside towns, the parish government decides: a police jury in many parishes, or a parish council or commission in parishes with a home rule charter. How much zoning a parish has differs a lot from parish to parish, so in some places a data center needs few local votes. Tax deals (PILOTs) and water sales are separate votes by parish bodies, finance authorities and town councils. Power plants for data centers are approved by the Public Service Commission, not local zoning. Source

Zoning hearings and the 20% protest rule · 2026
Zoning rules and rezonings cannot take effect without a public hearing. For towns and cities, notice must be published at least 3 times, with at least 10 days before the hearing. If owners of 20% or more of the land in the area to be rezoned, or within 200 feet of it, sign a protest, the change still needs a majority vote of the council members present. Speak at the planning commission hearing and the council vote, and put your comments in writing so they are in the record. Source

Appeal deadline: 30 days · 2026
If you disagree with a board of adjustment decision (for example a variance or special exception), you can ask the district court to review it. You must file a verified petition within 30 days after the decision is filed in the board's office. Council decisions can also be challenged in district court: in early 2026, residents and the mayor of Mooringsport sued over Shreveport's approval of a data center. Source

Ask for records (including secret deals) · 2023
Any adult can ask a parish, town, school board, assessor or state agency for records, such as NDAs, PILOT term sheets, water deals and emails. Write to the office's records custodian, describe the records, and keep a copy. They must answer within 5 working days. Use this to ask your parish or town whether officials signed an NDA about a data center. Source

Speak up at the Public Service Commission · Sept 16, 2026
The PSC meets about once a month in Baton Rouge (Galvez Building) at its Business and Executive session, and members of the public speak during the meeting. Big cases, like Entergy's Meta gas plants (docket U-37882), are listed on the PSC agenda and docket site. Contact your district's elected commissioner. Groups can ask to intervene (join) a case as a party. Source

Examples of local data center rules · June 3, 2026
Some places have written their own rules. On January 28, 2026, the New Orleans City Council voted 6-0 for a one-year ban on data center projects while its planning commission writes permanent rules. St. Charles Parish adopted rules in June 2026: data centers only in industrial zones, 300 feet from homes, schools and parks, and a 55-decibel noise limit at the property line. You can ask your council or police jury to adopt rules before a project arrives. Source

🧾 Help with your bills

LIHEAP: help with heating and cooling bills · Oct 1, 2025
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps pay electric and gas bills. In Louisiana it is run by the Louisiana Housing Corporation through 39 local agencies (community action agencies) covering all 64 parishes. For 2026: cooling help April 13 to September 30, heating help December 15 to March 31, and crisis help all year (for example a shut-off notice or broken heating or cooling). Weatherization (home repairs to save energy) is also offered. Apply at your local community action agency. Source

📞 Who to contact

Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC) · Oct 7, 2026
Five elected commissioners who regulate electric rates and approve new power plants for utilities like Entergy Louisiana, Cleco and SWEPCO, including plants built for data centers. Holds monthly public meetings and takes complaints. Source

Louisiana Economic Development (LED) · Oct 7, 2026
Certifies data centers for the sales tax exemption, signs the tax break agreements, and is writing the new ratepayer protection conditions ordered in June 2026. Takes public records requests. Source

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) · Oct 7, 2026
Issues air permits for data center generators and boilers and for gas power plants. Posts public notices of draft permits for comment. Source

Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy · Oct 7, 2026
Formerly the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (renamed October 1, 2025). Registers water wells and manages groundwater programs; would have issued data center water permits under the failed HB 1206. Source

Louisiana Attorney General (Department of Justice) · Oct 7, 2026
Trains public bodies on the public records law and publishes guidance on how to request records. Source

Louisiana State Legislature · Oct 7, 2026
Writes state laws. Bill status, votes and texts are online; you can contact your state representative and senator. Source

Louisiana Housing Corporation · Oct 7, 2026
Runs LIHEAP energy bill help and weatherization through local agencies. Source