Hardware FixRecommendedDevice not working? Your driver may be the problemCheck updates for common hardware issues.Fix DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PC×
Skip to content
Bettesworth Construction
data centers

WBRZ: Officials Tour Hut 8’s River Bend Site as Data Center Targets 2027 Construction Completion

WBRZ reported a tour of Hut 8’s River Bend construction site, where the company says work is on schedule for completion in 2027. The target is distinct from an earlier state forecast for operations by Q2 2027.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 3 min read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Hut 8 says construction of its River Bend AI data-center campus in St. Francisville, Louisiana, remains on schedule and is expected to finish in 2027. That is the company’s construction-completion target as reported by WBRZ on Oct. 5, 2026—not a confirmed opening date. An earlier state forecast put the start of operations by the second quarter of 2027, a separate milestone that available sources do not reconcile.

What officials saw at the River Bend site

WBRZ reported that Hut 8 hosted state and local officials at the construction site in West Feliciana Parish on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. The River Bend campus is in St. Francisville and is being developed as an AI data center.

Hut 8’s project page, accessed Oct. 7, 2026, lists a 627-acre site footprint and 2,361 acres under option. The company describes the project’s current capacity as 330 MW of utility capacity supporting 245 MW of IT capacity. It also lists potential expansion capacity of up to 1,000 MW; that is a potential expansion figure, not the campus’s current stated capacity. Hut 8’s River Bend project page

2027 forecasts describe different milestones

Forecast Source and date What it means
Construction expected to finish in 2027 Hut 8, as reported by WBRZ on Oct. 5, 2026 The company’s reported target for completing construction; not a confirmed opening date. WBRZ report
Operations expected to commence by Q2 2027 Earlier Louisiana Economic Development announcement A state forecast for the start of operations. The available sources do not explain how it aligns with Hut 8’s construction-completion target. Louisiana Economic Development announcement

Both dates are forecasts, not confirmation that the facility will be complete or operating by those dates. Construction completion and the start of operations are not interchangeable milestones.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Tecmojo 6U Wall Mount Server Cabinet IT Network Rack Enclosure Lockable Door and Side Panels Black, Cooling Fan, Standard Glass Door, 450mm Depth, for 19” IT Equipment, A/V Devices
  • Save valuable floor space: 6U wall mount server cabinet Dimensions: 13.78" H x21.65" W x17.72" D.Maximum mounting depth is 14.2"
  • Keep critical network equipment secure: glass door and side panels are lockable to prevent unauthorized access. Front door can be installed on either side of the front of the cabinet to satisfy your door swing orientation preference
  • Easy equipment configuration: Fully adjustable mounting rails and numbered U positions, with square holes for easy equipment mounting with top and bottom punch-out panels for easy cable access
  • Durability: Made of high quality cold rolled steel holds up to 110lb (50kg) (Easy Assembly Required)
  • PCI & HIPPA and EIA/ECA-310-E compliant

Job figures vary by source and definition

Hut 8’s project page projects up to $10 billion in Phase 1 capital investment, approximately 1,000 temporary construction jobs, 75 or more permanent operations jobs, and 190 or more direct and induced jobs. These are company projections, not audited outcomes or a count of positions already filled. Hut 8’s River Bend project page

WBRZ separately reported Hut 8’s estimates of about 1,200 construction workers then working at the site and 200 expected permanent positions. Those figures have different wording and context from the project-page projections. The sources do not explain differences in timing, scope, or counting method, so the numbers should not be treated as directly comparable or combined.

Rank #2
Tecmojo 12U Wall Mount Server Cabinet IT Network Rack Enclosure Lockable Door and Side Panels Black,Cooling Fan,Glass Door,17.7inch Depth,for 19” IT Equipment,A/V Devices
  • Save valuable floor space: 12U wall mount server cabinet Dimensions: 24.25" H x21.65" W x17.72" D. MAXIMUM MOUNTING DEPTH is 14.2".
  • Keep critical network equipment secure: glass door and side panels are lockable to prevent unauthorized access; Front door can be installed on either side of the front of the cabinet to satisfy your door swing orientation preference
  • Easy equipment configuration: Fully adjustable mounting rails and numbered U positions, with square holes for easy equipment mounting with top and bottom punchout panels for easy cable access
  • Durability: Made of high quality cold rolled steel holds up to 110lb (50kg) (Easy Assembly Required)
  • PCI & HIPPA and EIA/ECA-310-E compliant

Water supply and infrastructure claims

Hut 8 Senior Director of Public Affairs Hailey Miller told WBRZ that the facility would use a closed-loop system, with water trucked in from off site and recirculated. Miller said the approach was intended to minimize impacts on local resources. Those are company descriptions and claims; the available sources do not provide independent measurements of actual water use, consumption, or effects on residents.

Separately, Hut 8 announced an agreement to invest about $16 million to expand the parish water system. The announcement describes a planned investment, not independently verified results or a measured net impact on the community. Hut 8 water-system announcement

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Tecmojo 4U Wall Mount Rack,4U Rack 14 inch Depth,19" Network Rack for Shallow Server and IT Equipment, Network Switches,Patch Panel Bracket,110lbs(50kg) Weight Capacity,Black
  • Sturdy:4u server rack is construct from cold rolled steel, with a weight capacity of 110lbs(50kg); Electrostatic powder coat prevents rust and corrosion,quality finish
  • Direct use:Open and use, not having to assemble it.Network rack can be placed flat or mounted on the wall,also can be installed vertically under the table
  • Design Features:maximum mounting depth of 14 in,cables can be fixed on the side panel;Open frame server rack achieves effortless inspection, replacement and assemble
  • Installation:wall mount network rack is easy to install,with instructions or videos for reference;Equipped with multiple accessories, suitable for different needs
  • Application:EIA/ECA-310-E Compliant;wall mounted 4u rack fits all 19" racks and cabinets to hold various IT, network, and AV equipment;wall mount rack available in 4U, 6U, and 8U to choose
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Officials and critics offered competing views

At the tour, Gov. Jeff Landry framed the project as part of the state’s economic future. “What we’re doing today is not just breaking ground on a new project; we’re literally breaking ground on Louisiana’s future. We’re also breaking ground on America’s future,” Landry said, according to WBRZ.

Ann Rolfes, director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, criticized state promotion of data centers and other large industrial projects. “We have the current Governor running around the state pitching data centers, pitching carbon capture, talking about artificial intelligence, as if big business and outside corporations are actually good for our economy. If they were, Louisiana would be one of the richest states in the whole country because we’ve heard this nonsense before,” Rolfes said. She also called for a moratorium, saying, “It’s just the latest in a long line of bad ideas and what we need is a moratorium on all of this,” WBRZ reported.

These remarks represent the speakers’ positions. They do not establish the project’s eventual economic outcomes or environmental and infrastructure effects.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Site Office

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.