A more affordable, more reliable energy future for Louisiana is possible. The exponential rise of data centers—and their hunger for enormous amounts of power—raises the stakes like never before and intensifies the need for action.
Our analysis shows Louisiana electricity system costs due to data centers could reach as much as $26 billion in the next 15 years. Data centers are poised to be powered by polluting fossil fuel–fired electricity, triggering up to $3 billion in public health damages over the same period. Protecting communities from shouldering these costs is paramount.
Public officials must commit to improving Louisiana’s electricity resource–planning process, centering the voices of Louisianans in decisionmaking processes, and embracing solutions that diversify Louisiana’s electricity mix to protect residents from toxic fossil fuels and rising energy bills.
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Citation
Arbaje, Paul, Verónica López Gamboa, Sam Gomberg, Samuel Dotson, and Sandra Sattler. Data Center Threats in Louisiana: Protecting Communities from Big Tech's Costly Impacts. Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists. https://doi.org/10.47923/2026.16161
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