(The Center Square) – Entergy Louisiana is asking state regulators to fast-track approval for a massive power supply project to support a Meta data center in Richland Parish, including three new gas-fired plants and significant transmission upgrades.

Entergy Louisiana is seeking approval from the Louisiana Public Service Commission to construct the generation and transmission infrastructure necessary to serve Meta’s data center.

On Monday, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator approved for expedited review the Sarepta-to-Mount Olive 500 kV, which is being constructed in order to handle the data center’s power demand.

In support of the proposal, Entergy submitted contracts with Meta to demonstrate the need for the investments and to show that other customers will not be unfairly burdened with costs.

The company also presented calculations of benefits to other utility customers statewide, such as reductions in storm recovery charges, since Meta will help pay down that debt.

The filing follows months of review, thousands of data requests, extensive testimony, and a hearing before an administrative law judge, culminating in a multi-party settlement now before the commission.

The request includes building three new highly efficient combined-cycle natural gas plants and one new extra high voltage transmission line to improve power flow across the system.

Several billion dollars in additional interconnection projects – such as $1.2 billion in new substations and transmission lines – will be fully funded by Meta and do not require commission approval.

However, ratepayers will be on the hook for at least $470 million tied to a new sixty mile transmission line connecting two substations.

Entergy’s plan details expansions to the Sterlington and Smalling substations, construction of new 500-kilovolt facilities at Car Gas Road and Tatum, and upgrades to the Ray Braswell, Everitt, and Union Hill substations. The Sarepta-to-Mount Olive 500 kV line is also included.

Not everyone is convinced that the cost burden will bypass ratepayers. Critics, including The Alliance for Affordable Energy, warn that the rushed process and confidentiality of the Meta contract leave unanswered questions about long-term impacts on customer bills.

“The push to force through approval of the Meta proposal is illustrative of our greatest concern – that corporate utilities believe the Louisiana Public Service Commission answers first and foremost to them, not Louisiana ratepayers,” said Logan Atkinson Burke, executive director of The Alliance.

The Alliance says the 15-year Meta agreement covers less than half the expected lifespan of the gas plants, raising concerns that Louisiana ratepayers – residential, commercial, and industrial – could face decades of higher bills once Meta’s contract ends.

Alliance representatives say this lack of transparency and the accelerated decision timeline risk locking in major costs without fully vetting the consequences.

“That’s exactly why we need our regulators to slow things down – there is no reason to rush approval of this docket other than to avoid having to answer hard questions,” said Alaina DiLaura, commission policy coordinator for The Alliance.