Southeast Georgia confronts data center wave
OpenAI’s planned 1,400-acre data center campus in Effingham County has prompted new development inquiries and regulatory responses across southeast Georgia. Several local governments, including Bulloch County, Liberty County and Pembroke, have enacted or extended moratoriums while communities develop zoning rules addressing water use, electricity demand, noise and other impacts.
OpenAI’s planned $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County is driving broader interest in data center development across Bulloch, Bryan, Effingham and Liberty counties. The 1,400-acre project is expected to require 3.2 gigawatts of electricity at full build-out, raising concerns about regional power infrastructure, water use, saltwater intrusion and storm vulnerability.
Local governments are responding with temporary restrictions and new rules. Liberty County adopted a 120-day moratorium, Pembroke approved a 180-day moratorium, and Bulloch County extended its original moratorium while forming a community committee to help draft an ordinance. Statesboro adopted rules requiring special-use approval, water-management and sound studies, closed-loop cooling, acreage limits and decommissioning plans.
Residents and environmental advocates, including Ogeechee Riverkeeper and One Hundred Miles, are urging stronger safeguards and public participation. Statesboro is facing a lawsuit over a rezoning decision for a proposed data center, while Bryan County and Richmond Hill say their existing zoning rules generally prohibit such facilities. Statewide regulatory discussions remain unresolved despite legislation and calls from Public Service Commissioner Alicia Johnson for a consistent framework.