#utility-regulation

#utility-regulation

In a rural corner of Louisiana, Meta is building one of the world's largest data centers, a $10 billion behemoth as big as 70 football fields that will consume more power in a day than the entire city of New Orleans at the peak of summer. While the colossal project is impossible to miss in Richland Parish, a farming community of 20,000 residents, not everything is visible, including how much the social media giant will pay toward the more than $3 billion in new electricity infrastructure needed to power the facility.

California Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the importance of quick cleanups in wildfire-affected areas but acknowledged ongoing challenges such as insurance payouts, rebuilding costs, and accountability.

"The deal would place a vital utility in the private grip of a global financial juggernaut, raising concerns about affordability and transparency for local ratepayers."