(Reuters) -Utility Entergy's unit and pipeline firm Energy Transfer have signed a 20-year agreement to deliver natural gas to North Louisiana, the companies said on Tuesday.

The U.S. is poised to see a record surge in power demand this year and in 2026, led by data centers' outsized energy needs, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates.

The companies said the pipeline would supply gas to Entergy's new plants and serve projects such as Meta's data center in Richland Parish.

Energy Transfer will initially provide 250,000 million British thermal units (MMBtu) per day of transportation service beginning in February 2028 and continuing through January 2048.

The deal also provides an option to Entergy to expand delivery capacity in the region to meet future energy demand.

(Reporting by Tanay Dhumal in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)