By Mucahithan Avcioglu
ISTANBUL (AA) - US tech giant Amazon announced Monday that it will invest $12 billion in new data center campuses in the state of Louisiana.
"The development represents a coordinated, multi-site investment across Caddo and Bossier parishes, designed to support regional economic activity," Amazon said in a statement.
The firm said the data centers are expected to generate 540 full-time positions and support around 1,700 additional jobs tied to the sites, including electricians, HVAC technicians and security personnel.
"Amazon is committed to ensuring the communities where we operate are better because we're there," it added.
Amazon said it coordinated with the local utility, Southwestern Electric Power Company, to ensure that it will cover 100% of the costs tied to the campus, including spending on new and upgraded energy infrastructure.
The company added that it will use natural air cooling when possible to help lower electricity consumption at the data centers.
According to Amazon, the Louisiana facilities will rely solely on surplus water from the surrounding area, meaning there will be no added pressure on local water supplies. It also plans to invest up to $400 million in public water infrastructure to support the project.
Amazon said it is partnering with data center developer Stack Infrastructure on the development.
Earlier this month, Amazon projected $200 billion in capital expenditures for the year — the highest among hyperscalers — which together have forecast nearly $700 billion in spending for 2026.