OpenAI's Georgia Data Center
OpenAI Plans $20 Billion Georgia Data Center, Drawing Excitement and Local Concerns
Anonymous
Key Points
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Effingham County’s incentive package for OpenAI includes a 50% property tax abatement for 15 years.
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Nearby state and regional energy/data-center activity is already advancing, with the Savannah River Site announcing a 1-gigawatt data center and another in nearby Columbia County, SC.
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Effingham County is developing significant water-infrastructure capacity, including a $500 million water treatment facility expected to siphon up to 24 million gallons per day from the Savannah River to support large-load users.
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Local residents have scheduled an open house to discuss the project (6 p.m.–8 p.m. June 23 at the Effingham County College and Career Academy), as officials tout the investment while some community members voice concerns about public input and environmental impacts.
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OpenAI plans up to $71 million in Codex credits for students at Georgia colleges, community colleges, and technical schools.
OpenAI plans to build a $20 billion AI data center near Savannah, Georgia — and the total bill could top $30 billion, according to Yahoo Finance. The project, called Project Camellia, will sit in Effingham County's Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub and draw 3.2 gigawatts of power from Georgia Power, making it one of the largest data center projects ever announced in the United States.
Power delivery is set to begin in 2028 and ramp up through 2032. OpenAI says the facility will be its first self-designed data center. The company is already seeking outside financing partners to help cover the enormous cost.
A Record-Breaking Power Deal With Georgia Power
OpenAI signed a 25-year agreement with Georgia Power for up to 1,000 megawatts of flexible demand response. That means the grid can dial back OpenAI's power use during peak demand periods. The full 3.2-gigawatt contract is phased in over four years, giving Georgia Power time to build out the needed infrastructure, according to Yahoo Finance.
Georgia Power says large energy users like OpenAI bring reliability benefits and local economic value. The scale of the deal is striking: 3.2 gigawatts is roughly equal to the output of three large nuclear power plants. No single data center customer in Georgia has ever contracted for that much power before.
$80 Million in Community Benefits, Millions More in Tax Revenue
OpenAI pledged about $80 million in community benefits for Effingham County. That includes up to $71 million in Codex credits for students at Georgia colleges, community colleges, and technical schools, Yahoo Finance reported. The company also expects to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in local tax revenue over time.
Effingham County sweetened the deal for OpenAI with a 50% property tax abatement lasting 15 years. Officials call the project a transformational investment. They say it will boost education, workforce development, and local infrastructure. The county also plans hundreds of millions in new roads and utilities to support the campus.
Water Use and Environmental Concerns Stir Local Pushback
Not everyone is cheering. Some Effingham County residents worry about public input, groundwater use, and broader environmental impact. The data center will use a closed-loop cooling system designed to minimize water consumption. But the county is also building a $500 million water treatment plant that could pull up to 24 million gallons per day from the Savannah River to serve large industrial users like OpenAI.
A community open house is set for June 23, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Effingham County College and Career Academy. Residents will have a chance to ask questions and raise concerns directly. The meeting comes as nearby projects add to the regional energy load — including a 1-gigawatt data center announced at the Savannah River Site and another large facility in Columbia County, South Carolina.
OpenAI Bets Big on Self-Built Infrastructure
Project Camellia marks a major shift for OpenAI. Until now, the company has relied on Microsoft and other partners for computing infrastructure. Building its own data center gives OpenAI more control over costs and capacity. The $30 billion-plus price tag would make it one of the largest single infrastructure investments by any AI company to date, according to Yahoo Finance.
OpenAI is still looking for financing partners to help fund the project. The company has not said who those partners might be or when deals could close. With AI computing demand growing fast, OpenAI says it needs this kind of large, purpose-built facility to stay competitive in the race to train and run next-generation AI models.
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