WEST FELICIANA PARISH, La. — Hut 8, a leading energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure and large-scale computing, has selected Southeast Louisiana as the site of its River Bend artificial intelligence (AI) data center campus. The project represents an investment of up to $10 billion in Phase I, including Hut 8’s investment in advanced data center infrastructure, positioning Louisiana as a long-term hub for high-performance computing.
At the peak of Phase I construction, Hut 8 anticipates approximately 1,000 construction workers on-site. Once operational, Phase I is expected to create at least 75 direct new jobs, with employment expanding significantly as future phases are developed. Louisiana Economic Development (LED) estimates the project will generate an additional 193 indirect jobs, for a total of 268 potential new job opportunities in the Capital Region.
“Louisiana continues to win,” said Governor Jeff Landry. “Hut 8’s investment in River Bend builds on our track record of attracting global-scale projects in the industries of the future. As the campus grows, it will further cement Louisiana’s position as a national leader in energy and innovation, creating thousands of jobs and reaffirming our ability to compete and win on the global stage.”
Fluidstack, a leading AI cloud platform for training and inference, will serve as a tenant at the River Bend site. The project is supported by a financial backstop from Google covering all lease payments and related pass-through obligations. The campus has the potential to scale to up to 1,000 megawatts (MW) of utility capacity, reinforcing Louisiana’s role as a premier destination for advanced computing infrastructure.
“River Bend is a testament to the power of partnership,” said Hut 8 CEO Asher Genoot. “This project was made possible by the leadership of state and local officials, the commitment of Entergy, and the determination of the people of Louisiana. Together, we are building infrastructure capable of supporting the world’s most advanced technological applications at scale while setting a new standard for collaboration that drives lasting economic and technological progress.”
To support the campus, Hut 8 selected Entergy Louisiana to provide an initial 330 MW of utility capacity, enabling 245 MW of critical IT load for Fluidstack. The agreement aligns with Entergy’s most recent power outlooks issued in November 2025.
“Energy is one of Louisiana’s greatest competitive advantages,” said Phillip May, President and CEO of Entergy Louisiana. “Our ability to deliver reliable, scalable power while maintaining some of the lowest electricity rates in the country gives companies like Hut 8 the confidence to invest here, fueling economic growth and creating long-term value for our customers and communities.”
Louisiana’s competitive incentive portfolio helped secure the project. Hut 8 is expected to participate in the state and local sales and use tax rebate on qualifying data center equipment, established under Act 730 of the 2024 Regular Legislative Session, as well as Louisiana’s Quality Jobs program.
“River Bend demonstrates that Louisiana’s economic strategy is moving from plans to progress,” said LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois. “This project will generate high-wage jobs and create pathways for Louisianans to build long-term careers in the industries of the future. It’s a clear example of how aligning policy, partnership and people leads to lasting opportunity.”
Construction on the River Bend AI data center campus is already underway, with operations expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027.
“West Feliciana Parish is proud to welcome Hut 8 and the River Bend campus to our community,” said West Feliciana Parish President Kenny Havard. “This is a once-in-a-generation project that will bring jobs, opportunity and investment to our parish for decades to come and demonstrates what’s possible when local, state and industry partners work together toward a shared vision of growth.”
The River Bend campus adds to Louisiana’s momentum of landmark economic development wins over the past year, including Meta’s $10 billion AI data center in Northeast Louisiana and Hyundai Steel Company’s nearly $6 billion manufacturing investment in Donaldsonville, further strengthening the state’s global competitiveness.
“We’re pleased to see Hut 8 reach this milestone in the Capital Region,” said Lori Melancon, President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership. “This is a major win for West Feliciana Parish and reflects the continued momentum across the Capital Region as a destination for new and growing industries.”
About Hut 8
Hut 8 Corp. is an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases. The company takes a power-first, innovation-driven approach to developing and operating critical infrastructure that supports today’s and tomorrow’s breakthrough technologies. Hut 8 manages 1,020 megawatts of energy capacity with 1,530 megawatts under development across 19 sites in the United States and Canada. Learn more at hut8.com and follow @Hut8Corp on X.
About Entergy Louisiana
Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers in 58 parishes and natural gas service to more than 94,000 customers in Baton Rouge. A subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million customers across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas and operates one of the cleanest large-scale power generation fleets in the U.S.
About Louisiana Economic Development
Louisiana Economic Development drives capital investment, job creation and economic opportunity across the state. Learn more at OpportunityLouisiana.com.
Media Contacts:
Gautier Lemyze-Young, Hut 8
media@hut8.com
Brandon Scardigli, Entergy
bscardi@entergy.com
