OpenAI Commits $750 Billion to Infrastructure Through 2030
OpenAI announces a massive $750 billion infrastructure spending plan through 2030, marking a 25% increase from earlier estimates this year. The commitment comes as the company's Stargate data center project appears to have stalled, prompting OpenAI to pivot toward new ventures. The first major project under this expanded budget is Project Camellia, a $20 billion data center campus spanning 1,400 acres northwest of Savannah, Georgia.
Project Camellia draws at least 3.2 gigawatts of power from Georgia Power, with electricity expected to flow between 2028 and 2032. OpenAI agrees to cover the full cost of infrastructure and electric service, complying with a Georgia Public Service Commission rule that prevents utilities from passing costs to ratepayers for large-scale users. The company also agrees to reduce its power draw by up to 1 gigawatt during periods of high grid demand and secures a 50% property tax abatement from Effingham County for 15 years.
The power source for Project Camellia remains unclear, but regulatory filings from Georgia Power offer some clues. The utility plans to build or purchase roughly 5.8 gigawatts of natural gas capacity, including a quarter from higher-polluting simple-cycle turbines, effectively doubling its natural gas fleet. The remainder comes from grid-scale batteries and solar. OpenAI has not announced when the first GPUs at the facility will come online, though the recent hiring of construction veteran Brett Mayo from xAI suggests the company aims to move quickly.