Two data centers coming near Hilton Head area; power rate concerns raised
Two new data centers are planned: one by OpenAI in Effingham County, GA, and another by Amentum at the Savannah River Site in Barnwell County, SC. These projects, intended for AI technology, are raising concerns about increased power rates, water consumption, and noise pollution, though developers claim safeguards are in place. Moratoriums on data center development have been enacted or proposed in several other South Carolina counties.
The Hilton Head Island Packet reports on two new data centers slated for development in the vicinity of Beaufort County, South Carolina, stirring local debate over potential impacts on power rates, water usage, and noise. One facility, dubbed “Project Camellia,” is being developed by OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, in Effingham County, Georgia, at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub. This project, detailed in a recent press release, will require 3.2 gigawatts of power, supplied in phases by Georgia Power Company between 2028 and 2032, and is intended to support Artificial Intelligence technology. OpenAI assures the public that the project will not escalate power costs for residents, will use minimal water, and will undergo annual independent audits.
Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Energy has selected the Savannah River Site in Barnwell County, South Carolina—a former nuclear weapons materials complex—as another location for a data center. Private engineering firm Amentum has been chosen by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to construct this one-gigawatt data center, which will be powered by a two-gigawatt on-site energy generation system initially using natural gas, with a future transition to nuclear power. The NNSA stated that this project aligns with the federal Ratepayer Protection Pledge, preventing increased power costs for the public, although a project timeline remains undisclosed.
The article notes that data center expansion across the region has led to widespread concerns. Nine South Carolina counties have either passed or proposed moratoriums on data center development, and two others have implemented regulatory measures, although Beaufort County is not among them and has no announced data center plans.