Construction on Meta's largest data center brings chaos to rural Louisiana

5 hours ago

Meta's Hyperion data center construction in Holly Ridge, Louisiana has led to a 600% spike in vehicle crashes, with 64 crashes recorded from January to mid-September 2025 compared to 9 in 2024.
The increased traffic from construction trucks has forced Holly Ridge Elementary School to shut down its playground due to safety concerns, disrupting students' learning environment.
Drivers heading to the construction site include unlicensed individuals, causing dangerous situations, with incidents like hit-and-runs, near-misses, and fatal accidents reported.
Residents complain of never being contacted by Meta or officials despite issues like trucks parking on private property, dust pollution, and feeling trapped in their homes.
State officials, including Governor Jeff Landry, acknowledge traffic problems but emphasize the project's economic benefits, though safety measures like all-way stops have not prevented crashes.
Meta's data center will consume three times the annual power of New Orleans, leading Entergy to build new gas plants, potentially impacting customer bills statewide.
Local residents report frequent power outages and water quality issues since construction began, with Entergy denying outages are linked to the project.

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