Building AI infrastructure with the Effingham County community

OpenAI has announced Project Camellia, a long-term datacenter project designed and developed in the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub within Effingham County, Georgia. To support the datacenter, OpenAI is contracting with Georgia Power Company for 3.2 gigawatts of power, which will be delivered in phases between 2028 and 2032. OpenAI states that electricity rates will not increase for residents and that the company will pay the full cost of the required infrastructure and electric-service costs. The project will utilize a closed-loop water system to keep ongoing water consumption minimal, restricting operational water use primarily to ordinary workplace settings. OpenAI has committed $80 million in community benefits over the life of the project to support local priorities such as schools, public safety, and health care, alongside paying state and local tax revenue. Additionally, the company will provide up to $71 million in credits for Codex, its agentic coding tool, to eligible students across Georgia colleges and technical schools. An annual publicly available audit by an independent firm will be conducted to ensure accountability, and a public open house is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, to gather community input and help shape a Georgia Community Compact.