Entergy plans to buy the Cottonwood gas-fired plant in Texas for $1.8 billion, saying it is needed to cover Louisiana’s broader power shortfall. A consultant report for the state Public Service Commission says most of the plant’s 1,200 megawatts would primarily serve Meta’s north Louisiana data center and flags reliability concerns for the 22-year-old facility, while arguing the price is more than $1 billion above what private owners paid. If regulators block Entergy from passing the costs on to customers, the company’s profit model would be hit and Meta’s power-cost responsibility and policy certainty would face new questions.