AI could keep us dependent on natural gas for decades to come
1 min read
Summary
A new $10bn AI data centre is being built in Louisiana by Meta, to open in 2028, that when operating will require two gigawatts of electricity and will be the equivalent of adding a new town to the local grid.
To supply the power needed Entergy will build three new natural gas power plants and upgrade the grid at a cost of $3.2bn, and while Meta has promised to add at least 1.5 gigawatts of new renewables it has not decided which projects or when the investment will occur.
This investment in natural gas will further lock the state into committing to this fossil fuel and will provide a further 278 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere by 2035, according to the Rhodium Group.
There may be a way to lessen this potential overbuild of natural-gas power, if AI companies are more transparent about how flexible they can be with their electricity demands.