Bitcoin mining company Hut 8 has been approved to build an AI data center in Louisiana, which will require 30 megawatts of electricity in the initial stage

Officials in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, have approved a zoning change for bitcoin miner Hut 8’s $2.5 billion artificial intelligence data center. Local media reported that the parish’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the project planned by Hut 8 on Monday. The data center will be built on a 611-acre plot of land and is expected to bring permanent jobs and significant construction-related opportunities to the area. Riley Trettel, senior vice president of data center development at Hut 8, said the company is on an “aggressive timeline” to complete the project. Trettel added that the facility will be leased to an unnamed tenant who plans to purchase $10 billion worth of data center hardware. The first phase of construction will include two 450,000-square-foot buildings to house data servers. The first building is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, with the second phase scheduled to be completed in 2026. Documents submitted to local officials indicate that the initial phase will require 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity, and future expansion could push energy needs to more than 1 gigawatt (GW).