Amazon’s data center network in Northwest Louisiana is going to get bigger

The plans now call for three data centers spanning Caddo and Bossier parishes, with the new location set for Resilient Tech Park in Shreveport. 

“Amazon’s decision to increase its investment in Louisiana so quickly sends a clear message about what they have experienced here,” Gov. Jeff Landry said in a news release. “Amazon came to our state with an ambitious vision, and Louisiana has shown we can deliver at the scale and speed that vision demands.” 

The expansion is expected to add 210 permanent direct jobs to the 540 announced earlier this year, according to Louisiana Economic Development. Amazon will continue to partner with development company Stack Infrastructure to build the data centers. 

Stack, which will own the data centers, anticipates construction jobs for the data centers to increase from 1,500 to 2,250. 

Amazon’s expansion comes as debate continues in Louisiana over data centers’ natural resource and electricity use. Questions are also growing about the prevalence of elected officials signing nondisclosure agreements to limit scrutiny of the state and local subsidies offered to entice industrial development to the state. 

In a bid to assuage local concerns over water and power needs, Amazon has pledged to invest up to $400 million in improving public water infrastructure to support its three campuses. The company has also “coordinated with local utilities to ensure sufficient capacity for both its facilities and existing customers,” according to Louisiana Economic Development. 

Amazon has also promised to fund all water and wastewater improvements its projects require and minimize its use of water to cool the data centers. 

Amazon is working with Southwestern Electric Power Co. to power its data centers, promising to fully fund the new energy infrastructure and grid upgrades it needs. 

“We’re ready to serve and ready to deliver the reliable energy our communities need to support new investment while protecting existing customers from the costs of that growth,” SWEPCO president Brett Mattison said in the state news release. 

Amazon’s expansion plans come just months after Meta announced it would nearly double the expected size of its Hyperion campus in Northeast Louisiana. Meta has faced pushback against its deal with Entergy to build seven new natural gas power plants to supply the electricity it will need. 

The Louisiana Public Service commission recently decided to allow Meta to keep its calculations for job creation and electricity needs concealed, against the wishes of consumer rights and environmental advocates pushing for transparency.