The Georgia Public Service Commission staff has authorized an agreement between Georgia Power and OpenAI regarding a hyperscale data center project with a capacity of 3.2 gigawatts planned for Effingham County. The approval came following what observers characterized as a closed-door process with limited public disclosure.
Environmental advocacy organizations have expressed concern about how the contract was handled. The Sierra Club’s Georgia Chapter and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy both released statements indicating that while they view the staff approval as a modest step toward greater openness, more comprehensive oversight mechanisms remain necessary. These groups emphasized that the Public Service Commission’s elected commissioners themselves should have direct authority over major contract decisions of this scale.
Stakeholders have raised specific questions about the financial arrangements underlying the deal. Issues highlighted include uncertainties about how Georgia Power will calculate service costs for the data center operations and what contingency measures exist should the facility reduce its power consumption or relocate. Critics contend that a joint communication released by PSC staff and Georgia Power attempted to address public concerns but ultimately left significant aspects of the arrangement unexplained.
The groups noted that residents of Georgia have expressed frustration with what they perceive as a rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure development without adequate consideration of impacts on affected communities. The approval process and its limited transparency have become focal points in broader debates about how major utility investments should be governed and how public accountability can be maintained when utility companies pursue large-scale commercial contracts.
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