Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Co., has signed a 25-year agreement to supply electricity to a new 3.2-gigawatt data center for OpenAI. The facility, which is set to begin operations in 2028, will be located in Effingham County near Savannah, Georgia.
This project is a key addition to Southern Co.'s portfolio, which has seen its total contracted large power load grow to 17 GW since early 2026. To maintain grid reliability, the contract includes 1,000 megawatts of flexible demand response. This allows the utility to reduce power delivery to the site during periods of peak demand, a provision the company has not previously established with a data center customer.
The project represents an investment of $20 billion. Unlike typical industrial developments where local utilities must fund infrastructure upgrades, OpenAI has agreed to cover the full cost of the necessary electric work, which is intended to protect other customers from potential rate increases.
The facility can draw as much electricity as a small city, unless the grid needs it back.
#OpenAI #SouthernCo #DataCenter
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