OpenAI offers to reduce data-centre demand when power grids are strained
OpenAI says future U.S. AI campuses will reduce electricity demand during periods of grid strain through flexible operations, batteries and other power controls. Its planned Effingham County, Georgia, campus could require about 3,200 megawatts, with Georgia Power authorized to reduce service during peak-demand periods.
OpenAI announced its Grid Protectors Program, under which future U.S. computing campuses would negotiate agreements with utilities and regulators to reduce power consumption during periods of grid stress. The company said campuses could use batteries, on-site generation and power-management systems, and that large facilities should cover the infrastructure and electricity costs they create.
OpenAI’s planned campus in Effingham County, Georgia, is expected to require roughly 3,200 megawatts under a 25-year electricity agreement. OpenAI has committed to infrastructure and service costs and to providing up to 1,000 megawatts of flexible demand response, while Georgia Power projects significant savings for its large-customer portfolio. The arrangement is also being examined in the context of Ontario’s proposed data-center electricity policies and long-term grid planning.