Tech giant OpenAI plans to build $20 billion data center near Georgia coast - AJC.com

What the report says

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that OpenAI plans to develop a $20 billion data center in Effingham County, Georgia, near Rincon and roughly 30 minutes from downtown Savannah. The project would bring Georgia’s fast-growing data center sector to the coast for the first time, according to the AJC, and would be located in the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub off Ga. 21.

OpenAI, the San Francisco-based company behind ChatGPT, expects the facility to open in 2028 with about 400 employees in six-figure jobs, rising to 1,000 workers by 2032. The Effingham County Industrial Development Authority approved a 15-year, 50% property tax abatement at a Tuesday night meeting. Local development officials said that, despite the incentive, OpenAI is projected to become the county’s largest taxpayer.

Key details remain unsettled. The AJC reported that OpenAI has not finalized the project’s acreage, building size or construction schedule. A state Development of Regional Impact filing described a possible four-building campus totaling 4.4 million square feet on a larger 1,600-acre undeveloped site. The review process is required before the project can advance, and the filing indicated that OpenAI is not seeking zoning changes or variances. Community meetings are expected to begin with an open house Thursday evening at Effingham College & Career Academy.

The proposal comes amid growing scrutiny of data centers’ land, water and electricity demands. The AJC reported that OpenAI projects a need for 3.2 gigawatts of power, with plans to reduce use during peak periods and fund related energy infrastructure. The company also says it will use a closed-loop water system to cool equipment.