The facility will draw at least 3.2 gigawatts of electricity from the Georgia Power grid, requiring a major expansion of local generation capacity.
Project Camellia Scale and Energy Demands
The new data center campus represents the physical core of OpenAI’s expanding infrastructure investments. According to reports, the company’s total planned capital spending through 2030 has reached $750 billion, marking a roughly 25 percent increase from earlier projections. While OpenAI generates several billion dollars annually from subscriptions and API usage, that revenue makes up a fraction of its total infrastructure commitments.
To serve the 3.2-gigawatt power load, Georgia Power secured Public Service Commission approval to add nearly 9,885 megawatts of new generation capacity. The utility plans to more than double its natural gas fleet, adding roughly 5.8 gigawatts from new gas plants. A quarter of that gas capacity will rely on simple-cycle turbines built for speed rather than fuel efficiency. Grid-scale batteries and solar installations will make up the remaining capacity.
Construction Leadership and Grid Protections
OpenAI hired Brett Mayo to lead physical construction for the campus. OpenAI intends to build and operate the facility directly rather than leasing cloud capacity from a third party.
To insulate existing customers from rate increases, OpenAI committed to covering the full cost of the required grid infrastructure and electricity service. The agreement also includes a demand-response provision requiring OpenAI to reduce its electricity draw by up to 1 gigawatt during peak periods.
Broader Industry Pressures and Financing Challenges
The Georgia expansion aligns with broader national concerns regarding data center electricity demand. Exelon’s chief executive warned that United States electrical grids could face rolling blackouts as early as 2027 if generation fails to keep pace with computing demands. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s earlier $500 billion Stargate consortium with SoftBank and Oracle has faced headwinds from United States hardware import tariffs.
Questions remain regarding the financial viability of OpenAI’s spending pace. SoftBank previously encountered hurdles when attempting to borrow $6 billion against its OpenAI stake after creditors struggled to value the firm following missed sales targets. Power generation for Project Camellia is scheduled to come online between 2028 and 2032.
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