Environmental group Earthjustice has filed a petition with Louisiana regulators calling for an investigation into the financing of Meta's planned data center in Richland Parish, a project estimated to cost $27bn. The project, which includes the construction of three gas-fired power plants and new transmission lines, could, the group says, shift a significant share of the expenses onto local consumers, particularly if Meta exits the site early.

Meta initially agreed to backstop the financing, but a subsequent deal with Blue Owl Capital changed the project's structure: an entity called Beignet Investors now owns the data center and its developer, while Meta becomes a tenant. This new contractual setup, reported by the Wall Street Journal , would enable the company to terminate its lease after just four years, down from the original 15, raising concerns about its true contribution to infrastructure costs.

Earthjustice is warning about the potential consequences of an early pullout by Meta, which could leave local households and businesses to shoulder the cost of energy investments that have not been paid off. The request for an investigation, which the organization says is unprecedented nationwide, reflects growing tensions over the economic and environmental impact of energy-intensive data centers. The Richland Parish project, with capacity of more than 2 gigawatts, is to date the most ambitious ever launched by Meta.