Meta has officially launched Hyperion, its new AI data center in Louisiana, boasting a staggering 5 gigawatts of power. Yes, you read that right — 5 gigawatts! That’s enough electricity to power over a million homes. But as the world races to develop artificial intelligence, this massive energy consumption casts a dark shadow over local communities that could face power and water shortages.
Mark Zuckerberg announced on the social network Threads that Hyperion will be the heart of Meta’s AI lab development, promising the most advanced center in the world with an unimaginable capacity. After hiring top AI experts like Alexander Wang and Daniel Gross, Meta is making a revolutionary leap in building massive computing power to support advanced AI model development.
Hyperion will be located in Richland Parish, where Meta has already invested $10 billion in a series of data centers. Company spokesperson Ashley Gabriel revealed that capacity will reach 2 gigawatts by 2025, with the ultimate goal of 5 gigawatts. Besides Hyperion, Meta is also building the Prometheus supercluster in Ohio, planned to have a 1-gigawatt capacity by 2026.
These gigantic projects could seriously threaten the availability of electricity and water for local communities. It’s not the first time Meta’s data centers have caused problems — residents of Newton County, Georgia, have already experienced water supply interruptions due to high energy demands. Similar issues are expected in other parts of the US, where companies like CoreWeave plan expansions that could double the electricity consumption of an American city.
Besides environmental concerns, big tech companies relentlessly build new AI infrastructures. OpenAI, in collaboration with Oracle and SoftBank, is developing Stargate, while Elon Musk’s XAI company is preparing the Colossus supercomputer. Political backing for these projects comes from the highest levels — former President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright openly support accelerated energy capacity building for AI, calling it a new industrial revolution.
Experts predict that by the end of the decade, data centers will account for up to 20% of total electricity consumption in the US, a massive increase from 2.5% in 2022. Huge investments in new energy sources and infrastructure are necessary, but the survival of local communities and grid stability could be seriously at risk.
Meta’s Hyperion symbolizes the power and ambition of modern technology, but also the challenges of balancing innovation with responsibility to the planet. Will we let AI centers leave us without power and water? Or will we wake up before it’s too late? If you have thoughts or just want to laugh at this energy madness, drop a comment — no censorship here!
