October 27, 2025
In a significant move to power its US data centers with renewable energy, Meta has expanded its partnership with ENGIE North America through new power purchase agreements (PPAs) totaling more than 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity across four projects in Texas.
The latest agreements include the new 600-megawatt (MW) Swenson Ranch Solar project, a $900 million facility to be built in Stonewall County, southeast of Lubbock. Upon its expected completion in 2027, the Swenson farm will become the largest solar installation within ENGIE’s 11 GW North American portfolio of renewable energy projects. Meta will purchase 100% of the electricity generated by the facility.
ENGIE estimates the project will create over 350 construction jobs and generate more than $158 million in tax revenue for Stonewall County and the local hospital district over its operational lifetime.
"Our objective is to bring reliable, cost-competitive power to the grid as rapidly as possible, and projects like Swenson demonstrate the importance of solar to meet the timely needs of our customers," said Dave Carroll, ENGIE North America’s CEO and chief renewables officer.
Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy, stated that the expanded deal "enables us to continue matching 100% of our electricity use with clean and renewable energy to support our data center operations."
However, this substantial investment in solar power is juxtaposed with Meta's simultaneous investment in fossil fuel infrastructure. The company is concurrently developing a $10 billion data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana, which will be powered by three new gas-fired power plants. Utility company Entergy is building the plants, with Meta covering 50% of the construction costs.
The three gas plants are slated to produce a combined 2,262 MW of power, a capacity that represents nearly 10% of Entergy's current energy generation across its four-state service area. This has drawn criticism from environmental commentators who argue that the emissions from the Louisiana project undermine Meta's clean energy commitments, especially as the gas plants are being built in a lower-income farming community. Analysts suggest that limited state oversight and a 2024 Louisiana law that exempts the company from sales tax likely influenced the decision.
SOURCE electrek
