OpenAI announced Project Camellia, a $30+ billion investment in a 3.2-gigawatt AI datacenter campus near Savannah, Georgia.
OpenAI plans to invest over $30 billion in a new 3.2-gigawatt data center complex, Project Camellia, in Effingham County near Savannah, Georgia, potentially making it one of the company's largest infrastructure projects to date. The company committed to spending at least $20 billion in the county to qualify for an incentive package. According to Sachin Katti, OpenAI's vice president of compute strategy, reaching the full 3.2 GW scale will push total project costs past $30 billion. OpenAI is actively seeking development and financing partners while keeping open the option to manage portions of the operations directly.
OpenAI contracted with Georgia Power to deliver 3.2 GW of energy in phases between 2028 and 2032 under a 25-year agreement. As part of the arrangement, OpenAI agreed to provide up to 1,000 MW of flexible demand response, allowing Georgia Power to reduce power delivery to the facility during times of high grid demand to support system-wide stability and reliability.
Addressing community concerns, OpenAI stated that it will pay the full cost of required electrical infrastructure and power, adhering to state regulations that prevent passing these expenses onto existing ratepayers. The facility will incorporate a closed-loop cooling system that recirculates water to minimize resource consumption, alongside its demand-response mechanisms to protect nearby residents from grid strain.
OpenAI pledged $80 million in local community benefits over the project's life, up to $71 million in Codex credits for eligible Georgia college and technical students, and an annual publicly available audit by an independent firm to ensure commitments are met. The company announced an open house for residents to meet the project team, ask questions, and offer feedback.
This expansion arrives amid rising scrutiny surrounding the environmental and economic footprints of massive AI facilities. High power demands and potential water strains have sparked local opposition elsewhere, recently prompting New York to enact a one-year moratorium on large new data center builds—the first U.S. state to do so. Despite regional pushbacks, OpenAI continues pursuing CEO Sam Altman's long-term vision of spending trillions on physical infrastructure. The Georgia project forms part of OpenAI's broader Stargate initiative, which encompasses major data center collaborations across Europe, the Middle East, and several U.S. states. While Stargate was initially envisioned as a joint venture with Oracle and SoftBank Group, the strategy has evolved to incorporate varying partner combinations across global developments.
The campus will occupy 1,400 acres within a 2,600-acre industrial park at Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub in Rincon, Effingham County. Power delivery will be phased from 2028 through 2032. The project is expected to create 400 to 1,000 permanent high-paying roles and thousands of construction and trade jobs. Effingham County approved a 15-year 50% property tax abatement; OpenAI will remain the county's largest taxpayer. Key stakeholders include the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, which governs site development agreements and tax incentives; OmniTRAX/Broe Real Estate Group, the exclusive master developer managing industrial land sales and logistics infrastructure; and the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, which facilitates local workforce development and supply chain opportunities.