Entergy Louisiana Sues Lincoln Parish Landowners to Build Meta Data Center Power Lines

Entergy Louisiana is seeking to use the power of expropriation to force 14 property owners in Lincoln Parish to surrender land rights for a massive new transmission line.

The utility company filed the lawsuit on Oct. 14 in the 3rd Judicial District Court to secure the rights needed to build a 58-mile-long, 500-kilovolt transmission line. This infrastructure is intended to supply electricity to a planned Meta data center in nearby Richland Parish, WWNO reported.

The fight over servitude rights

The lawsuit targets various individuals, family trusts, and business entities that own specific tracts of land. Entergy is not seeking to take full ownership of these properties, but is instead asking for “servitudes”—Louisiana’s term for easements.

New lawsuit could delay plans to power Meta’s Louisiana data center — WWLTV

These legal rights would grant Entergy the authority to build towers, run lines, and move equipment across the land. It would also permit crews to enter the properties for inspections and repairs, as well as clear trees and brush that could obstruct the lines.

For the affected owners, these rights come with significant restrictions. The petition notes that landowners would be prohibited from building structures such as houses, barns, garages, sheds, ponds, swimming pools, or wells within the servitude if they could interfere with the electrical facilities.

Entergy Louisiana Sues Lincoln Parish Landowners to Build Meta Data Center Power Lines

Entergy stated it selected the path after evaluating environmental impacts, engineering constraints, and safety, noting it attempted to follow existing rights-of-way to minimize disruption. The company also claims it sent notices and independent appraisals to the owners, offering more than the appraised value, though the specific amounts were not disclosed in the suit.

A broader legal challenge

This specific lawsuit is part of a wider conflict involving the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC). On Nov. 9, the Louisiana Landowners Coalition and two other organizations sued the LPSC to challenge a fast-track approval process known as the Lightning Directive, WWNO reported.

Entergy wants their land for Meta’s power lines. They’re suing the regulators approving them — Gulf States Newsroom

Landowners argue this directive allows utilities to skip essential regulatory steps without adequate public notice or the opportunity for community comment. Entergy intends to use this directive in December to seek approval for seven gas plants and transmission lines linked to the Meta project.

While the lawsuit against the LPSC does not directly contest Entergy’s land acquisition, critics argue the commission’s approval of these projects could be used to establish the “public necessity” required for Entergy to proceed with expropriation in court.

A Teacher Put Every Dime Into Her Land. Entergy Wants a Strip of It for Meta — Exit9media

Who bears the cost

The financial responsibility for this infrastructure is a central point of contention for North Louisiana residents. While Meta is expected to directly fund billions of dollars for various substations and upgrades, the burden of certain components falls on the public.

According to reporting by The Center Square, ratepayers will be responsible for at least $470 million in infrastructure, which includes the Mount Olive to Sarepta transmission line.

A Massive Power Line Could Change the Future of Louisiana Landowners | SWI — Louisiana Public Broadcasting

Project Component	Primary Funding Source
Meta-specific substations and upgrades	Meta
Mount Olive to Sarepta line	Ratepayers
Total infrastructure cost (estimated)	Mixed (Meta & Ratepayers)

Entergy maintains that the project is essential for the region, stating the new capacity will improve grid reliability, accommodate future development, and help the system meet federal reliability requirements. The company also noted the lines will be built to updated wind-load standards to withstand extreme weather like tornadoes and ice storms.

Entergy did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication, WWNO reported.