Meta plans for gas-powered datacenter face Democratic probe

Date:
Mon, 19 May 2025 15:37:00 +0000

Description:
Meta has been given until May 28 to respond to a Senator's request for
further information on the basis of transparency.

FULL STORY

Meta's plans to build a four-million-square-foot AI datacenter have come and fire over the potential greenhouse gas emission implications relating to its power source.

The company's $10 billion site in Richland Parish, Louisiana, could require
up to 2,300MW of energy coming from three new gas-fired power plants.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter, published online , to the company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, demanding transparency about energy use and emissions.

Meta's gas-powered datacenter has been criticized by a US Senator

Whitehouse criticized for social media giant's strategy as being
contradictory to its own climate pledges, which revolve around meeting net
zero emissions by the end of the decade. The Senator specifically questioned the lack of details on Meta's carbon capture contributions and renewable
energy offsets.

"I am concerned by reports that Meta plans to power a data center in northeastern Louisiana with new and unabated natural gas generation," Whitehouse wrote. "Neither Entergy nor Meta have disclosed details about the carbon capture project or the amount of Metas financial contribution, raising doubt as to whether Meta is meaningfully offsetting its emissions."

The Senator demanded five separate pieces of information from the company, noting a deadline of May 28, 2025: detailed energy consumption and emission estimates for the datacenter; justification for choosing gas over other
energy sources such as renewables, nuclear or geothermal; financial details
and the impact of Meta's carbon capture investments; an explanation for not installing carbon capture at the new plants; and data showing how these
actions align with the 2030 net zero goal.

A Meta spokesperson told The Verge : "We believe a diverse set of energy solutions are necessary to power our AI ambitions and we continue to explore innovative technology solutions." TechRadar Pro has asked the company for a response.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/meta-plans-for-gas-powered-datacenter-face-democ ratic-probe

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