OpenAI is developing a new data center campus in Effingham County, projected to launch in 2028.
The privately funded $20 billion “Project Camellia” will comprise four buildings across 1,400 acres at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, a 2,600-acre campus located about 12 miles from Savannah’s port, according to a county press release. Georgia Power will provide the data center 3.2 gigawatts of energy — enough to power over 2 million homes — to be delivered in phases from 2028 to 2032.
Public Meeting
- Effingham County residents can meet engineers and ask questions about the project at an open house from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Effingham College & Career Academy, 2940 GA 21 in Rincon.
- Feedback and input will culminate into a “Georgia Community Compact” to solidify community priorities, accountability measures and commitments. Project updates and communication can be found at EffinghamGateway.com.
In May, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp met with OpenAI and Georgia Power representatives to discuss OpenAI’s activity in Georgia. Although it was unclear at the time what specific plans OpenAI had in Georgia, company representatives included senior leaders in site readiness and development, economic development and power projects.
In the release, project development and county leaders said the data center works to support local communities while advancing infrastructure to support new AI technology. These commitments will be audited annually by an independent firm and be made publicly available, it said.
“Economic development is about attracting companies that create lasting value for the Community,” Brant Herndon, the chief executive officer of the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, said in the press release. “This project represents a major private investment that will generate substantial new tax revenue, bring hundreds of high-paying jobs, and create new opportunities for local businesses, contractors, suppliers, and our future workforce.”
Among the proposed benefits, developers say Project Camellia is not expected to increase electricity rates for Georgia residents. OpenAI will finance the infrastructure and electric service costs, as well as allocating $80 million in “community benefits” toward local education, public safety, healthcare and small business resources. Part of the generated revenue from the data center will go toward eliminating property taxes, according to the release. Effingham County Manager Tim Callanan was quoted in the release, saying the center may reduce the average homeowner’s property rate by 40% by early next year.
The company also plans to contribute up to an additional $71 million in credits for Codex, the company’s coding software, to encourage students at Georgia colleges, community colleges and technical schools to develop projects with the AI tool.
Project Camellia is expected to produce thousands of construction and on-site jobs prioritizing local contractors and businesses, as per a press release. A separate press release describes an initial 400 “long-term, high-quality” jobs for local residents.
The press release said the data center’s water use will be “minimal” and will not divert water sources from local communities and workplaces using a “closed-loop water system” that will recycle water. Similarly, in moments of high energy demand, the data center will be among the first to reduce its Georgia Power consumption. The project, according to the release, is also not expected to cause temperature increases around the site and has substantial buffers in place to preserve existing vegetation.
Effingham County residents can meet engineers and ask questions about the project at an open house on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Effingham College & Career Academy. Feedback and input will culminate into a “Georgia Community Compact” to solidify community priorities, accountability measures and commitments. Project updates and communication can be found at EffinghamGateway.com.
The Michigan community of Saline Township revolted against the data center that is set to house part of Project Stargate, a chain of data centers planned by software companies OpenAI and Oracle.
After angry residents packed meetings with concerns about water use, power use and noise, the township board denied zoning for a data center back in 2025. Then the developer sued alleging unfair exclusionary zoning. The township board relented and signed a settlement allowing the data center.
Only later was it revealed to be a Project Stargate site. Backed by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, workers broke ground on the site in June.
President Donald Trump announced Project Stargate on the day after his 2025 inauguration, at a White House speech, standing beside leaders from OpenAI, Oracle and financier SoftBank.
Some coastal Georgia communities have hit the brakes on data center zoning, as public opposition builds to the water- and power-hungry developments. Garden City and Camden County have set up moratoriums. Glynn County, in contrast, rejected residents’ calls for a pause.
Data reporter Maggie Lee contributed to this report.
This story was provided by WABE media partner The Current GA.
