OpenAI plans to use less electricity when grid is strained at this new facility
OpenAI says its planned $30 billion data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia, will reduce electricity use by up to 1 gigawatt during extreme weather or grid emergencies. The company’s proposal follows local protests over the project, which is expected to begin operations in 2028.
OpenAI plans to build a 3.2-gigawatt data center campus in Effingham County, outside Savannah, with operations expected to begin in 2028. Through its Grid Protectors Program, the company says it will be able to reduce electricity demand by up to 1 gigawatt during emergencies or periods of severe grid strain, while also using on-site generation, storage, batteries and power controls.
The project has faced protests from local residents amid broader opposition to data center growth. Georgia Power Senior Vice President Aaron Mitchell welcomed OpenAI’s proposed flexibility, while analysts said demand-response programs could reduce peak grid impacts but would require substantial investment and coordinated policies to expand across the industry.