OpenAI is planning a major data center in Effingham County, Georgia, called "Project Camellia." The company signed a deal with Georgia Power for 3.2 gigawatts of electricity to be delivered in phases between 2028 and 2032. OpenAI says it will cover all costs itself, so local power bills won't go up. The privately funded project will use a closed-loop water cooling system meant to keep ongoing water use low. Water and energy use at data centers are a regular source of criticism, and OpenAI has only released vague consumption figures so far.

OpenAI also pledged $80 million for schools, healthcare, and housing in the area, plus up to $71 million in Codex credits for Georgia students, which doubles as a way to get students hooked on its platform early. Anthropic and other AI companies run similar programs.

OpenAI's cautious approach reflects growing protests against data centers across the US. Many residents see more downsides than benefits, including heavy resource use and noise but very few permanent local jobs.

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