Applied Digital has entered a $4 million community benefit agreement with the Town of Boyce to fund improvements, infrastructure enhancements, and economic growth. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce The deal covers the area adjacent to the company's planned Delta Forge I AI Factory, a $3.6 billion data center project located just across the street from the town. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Town officials announced the agreement on October 14, 2026, following discussions involving Louisiana Central and Applied Digital. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce The arrangement provides direct support for local priorities in a community positioned near one of the state's largest planned technology investments. Officials described the agreement as a way to ensure that nearby residents benefit from the scale of development occurring in the immediate vicinity. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
Town of Boyce Mayor Kelvin McCoy stated that the project of this scale should create meaningful opportunities for nearby communities and that he prioritized securing a seat at the table for Boyce. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Louisiana Central CEO and President Chris Masingill noted that the arrangement aligned with Boyce's geographic location, connectivity, and relationship to the project area. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Applied Digital's Community Engagement Coordinator Gail Adams acknowledged the mayor's advocacy and expressed appreciation for efforts to ensure the community shares in opportunities created by the facility. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce These statements reflect a shared emphasis on local participation in the planning process for the data center project. The agreement itself represents one approach to channeling resources toward municipal needs that arise alongside large-scale infrastructure development.
Power demands and regulatory review for Meta project
Separate developments involving Meta's data center under construction in Richland Parish have centered on electricity requirements. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The facility is estimated to consume roughly 4,500 megawatts on a continual basis, approximately four times the single-day record of 1,160 megawatts set by Entergy New Orleans customers during peak heat in June 2022. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Opponents, including members of the Take the Power Back campaign, have described the scale as absurd and raised concerns about strain on the energy grid, water supply, and the need for additional gas-fired power plants. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The comparison to historical peak demand has been used to illustrate the magnitude of the projected load relative to existing system records.
Entergy Louisiana has maintained that the 20-year agreement with Meta requires the company to pay for the associated electrical infrastructure and that the project will not raise costs for other customers. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The utility has pointed to more than 1,500 jobs tied to the buildout and stated that the arrangement follows Governor Jeff Landry's directive that data centers must pay their own way. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say This position underscores the utility's stance that infrastructure costs remain the responsibility of the data center operator under the terms of the contract.
The Louisiana Public Service Commission recently voted down an administrative law judge's order that would have required Meta to disclose how it calculated job projections and electricity needs for the Richland Parish project. ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta Logan Burke, executive director with the Alliance for Affordable Energy, commented on the commission's action in a LaPolitics Q&A. ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta The vote addressed questions of transparency regarding the methodology behind the project's projected impacts.
Local responses and broader context
Campaign organizers gathered at New Orleans City Hall on October 13, 2026, to protest a proposed zoning change related to smaller data centers while continuing to oppose the Richland Parish facility. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Entergy has lobbied the Public Service Commission to fast-track plans for up to 10 new gas-fueled power plants to meet the needs of the Meta project. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say In filings with MISO, the grid operator, Entergy described the substation near the data center as capable of generating 4,500 megawatts. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say These actions highlight ongoing discussions about the pace and scope of power generation additions tied to the project.
Coverage of the Applied Digital agreement also referenced prior reporting on Cleco's efforts to fast-track a new generator, Governor Landry's announcement of the Applied Digital project in Rapides Parish, land designation near Boyce, job postings, and an EEIDD vote on PILOT terms. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce The references place the Boyce agreement within a wider set of developments involving data center projects across multiple parishes.
Why it matters for Louisiana
Community benefit agreements such as the one reached in Boyce illustrate one mechanism for directing direct support to municipalities located near large data center investments. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce At the same time, the scale of power infrastructure required for projects like Meta's in Richland Parish has prompted regulatory examination of cost allocation and transparency around projections. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta These developments occur against a backdrop of differing local and statewide perspectives on the balance between economic investment and resource demands. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The outcomes in each case depend on the specific terms that local governments and state regulators negotiate with project developers.
The sources indicate that outcomes for host communities and ratepayers depend on the specific terms negotiated for each facility. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Continued oversight by the Public Service Commission and local officials will shape how future projects allocate costs and benefits across Louisiana. ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta In the case of the Boyce agreement, the $4 million commitment provides a concrete example of how one community has sought to secure resources alongside a major data center project. For the Meta facility, the regulatory proceedings and public opposition reflect ongoing attention to the electricity and infrastructure implications of the development. Together, these examples show how different parishes are addressing the opportunities and challenges presented by data center growth. The Public Service Commission's decisions on disclosure and cost allocation remain central to how such projects proceed. Local officials in Boyce have focused on securing direct community support through the benefit agreement. Broader debates continue regarding the appropriate pace of power plant construction and the allocation of associated expenses. The interplay between these local and state-level processes will influence the trajectory of data center development in Louisiana over the coming years.
Evidence Used
- Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce — Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce
- Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say — Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
- Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say — Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
- ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta — ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta