OpenAI announces Project Camellia, 3.2-gigawatt Georgia data center
In brief
- OpenAI announced a 3.2-gigawatt data center campus spanning 1,400 acres in Effingham County, Georgia.
- Georgia Power will deliver electricity in phases from 2028 through 2032, fully funded by OpenAI.
- Closed-loop cooling technology will minimize water consumption and reduce local supply strain.
- OpenAI committed $80 million for schools, healthcare, workforce training, and public safety.
- Independent annual audits will verify OpenAI's project commitments.
Infrastructure and Power Delivery
Project Camellia will consume 3.2 gigawatts of power, with electricity delivered by Georgia Power in phases from 2028 through 2032. OpenAI said it will fully fund the required infrastructure so existing electricity customers will not subsidize the project, a commitment that addresses common concerns about public cost-sharing for private data center development.
The facility will employ a closed-loop cooling system to keep water consumption low while reducing demand on local supplies. This design choice signals OpenAI's attention to environmental sustainability and the operational constraints that large-scale AI infrastructure must navigate in populated regions.
Community Investment and Jobs
OpenAI pledged $80 million for local priorities including schools, healthcare, workforce training and public safety. The company also committed up to $71 million in Codex credits for eligible Georgia students, tying educational access directly to the data center's presence in the state.
The project is expected to generate thousands of jobs and substantial tax revenue. Annual independent audits will verify OpenAI's commitments are met, creating an accountability mechanism that extends beyond typical corporate pledges.
OpenAI's Georgia expansion reflects the broader competitive pressure among AI labs to secure reliable, large-scale power supplies. The phased power delivery timeline (2028–2032) suggests the company is planning for sustained, multi-year computational demand growth.
