In the last few years, A.I. data centers have become the environmental and energy issue of the moment. Thanks to the Trump Administration’s gleeful dismantling of our regulatory processes and protections, Big Tech Corporations have had free reign to manufacture a data center gold rush.
Georgia is one of several states targeted for a particularly rapid push to build data centers. Over the last several years, more than 50 local governments have passed local moratoria on data center construction due to overwhelming opposition from community members. Recent polling data shows that Georgia communities are deeply concerned about the environmental and health impacts data centers will create in their communities.
The most recent chapter of Georgia’s fight against data centers takes place in Effingham County: OpenAI, one of the largest and most powerful tech companies in the world, has worked out a deal with the county government and Georgia Power to build a 3.2-gigawatt data center. The proposal, called Project Camellia, alleges it will bring $870 million in tax revenue over the next 15 years, but residents are rightly suspicious.
Open AI and the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority notified only seven people about the first public meeting on the project three days before the meeting – despite Georgia law requiring a seven-day notice for regular public meetings. When the company finally made its contract with Effingham County publicly available, the entire contract was redacted, rendering it useless.
The Sierra Club and several other organizations sharply criticized OpenAI and Georgia Power’s secret dealings that intentionally kept the public in the dark. The Georgia Public Service Commission’s meager first attempts to create ratepayer protections within the contract, but ultimately these protections fell short of what the Georgia public demanded.
“The people of Georgia are angry at what they see as a reckless rush to build A.I. data centers with no regard to the communities they impact,” said Hannah Baker, Organizer with Sierra Club’s Georgia Chapter, in the Sierra Club’s statement. “We cannot allow more backroom deals that benefit Georgia Power’s profit-driven loyalty to data centers to steamroll public accountability.”
That is where things stood before a Sept. 15 meeting in Savannah. After public outcry, the Georgia Public Service Commission held a public meeting to discuss Project Camellia. The commissioners heard overwhelming opposition to the project itself and the secrecy of Georgia Power and OpenAI.
The meeting was packed with concerned residents and elected officials from Savannah and surrounding areas. Residents asked to see the OpenAI contract – but PSC member Dr. Alicia Johnson revealed even PSC commissioners hadn’t even see the full, unredacted agreement.
Commissioner Shaw was in the hot seat after I asked about the role of the commission. Shaw rattled off several responsibilities, but left out their role to make sure services are reasonably priced. When I pressed him on the issue, he admitted that it was part of the PSC’s job.
“Does anybody feel like everything’s reasonably priced?” I asked the crowd.
The audience replied with an emphatic “No!”
The resounding community response against this development encapsulates the current moment surrounding the data center fight in Georgia. Everyday people are feeling more and more empowered to speak out against Big Tech and Georgia Power, but lawmakers, county officials, and regulators are unwilling or unable to enforce reasonable terms of engagement.
This is why we need strong ratepayer protections and data center regulations – and why Georgia needs a statewide moratorium while these regulations are created and implemented. How many times do communities need to be left out in the cold while Big Tech developers make backroom deals with no accountability? How long must a patchwork of community groups fight their local battles while our state legislators wring their hands and let data centers run wild? How long must energy affordability advocates be outnumbered and outvoted on the PSC?
This moratorium is needed not only to stop this reckless statewide rush to build data centers, but to thoughtfully craft terms of engagement that protect communities, invest in clean energy, and make sure that no town has a data center forced upon them.