OpenAI Plans 3.2 GW Georgia Data Center
OpenAI plans to develop Project Camellia, a long-term AI data center in Effingham County, Georgia. The company has contracted with Georgia Power for 3.2 gigawatts of electricity, to be supplied in stages from 2028 through 2032. OpenAI says it will cover all required power infrastructure and service costs, preventing them from being passed to existing customers. The facility is also intended to reduce consumption during periods of peak grid demand. A closed-loop cooling system will recirculate water, limiting ongoing needs largely to normal workplace uses. OpenAI has pledged $80 million for community priorities, up to $71 million in Codex credits for eligible Georgia students, and hundreds of millions in projected state and local taxes. The project is expected to create thousands of construction and permanent jobs. An independent firm will audit the commitments annually, while community consultations will help define a formal Georgia Community Compact.
Why it matters
- —The project illustrates the enormous electricity and infrastructure requirements behind the expansion of advanced AI systems.
- —OpenAI is linking the development to local funding, jobs, tax revenue, student access to Codex, and independently audited commitments.
- —Its peak-demand power reductions and closed-loop cooling system could influence how future AI data centers address grid and water concerns.
Key facts
- Georgia Power is expected to deliver 3.2 gigawatts of capacity in phases between 2028 and 2032.
- OpenAI says it will pay the full cost of the required electricity infrastructure and service.
- The company pledged $80 million in community benefits and up to $71 million in Codex credits for eligible Georgia students.
- The facility will use closed-loop cooling designed to keep ongoing water consumption low.
- An independent firm will conduct and publish an annual audit of the project's commitments.
The full text is in the original source. Here we provide a brief summary and key facts.
