ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First/WTOC) — State regulators have officially approved a contract for Georgia Power to serve a massive new OpenAI project in Effingham County. Georgia Power announced Wednesday that the agreement has cleared the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) regulatory process. The 3,200-megawatt (MW) project is part of a growing portfolio of “large-load” contracts expected to generate $950 million in annual system savings beginning in 2029. Because of this growth, Georgia Power says typical residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month will see their expected savings increase to about $15 per month ($180 per year) starting in 2029. This is up from a previously projected savings of $102 per year. “Data centers are coming to Georgia. That is a fact. We’re seeing them in all parts of Georgia, what we need to do at Georgia Power is to be ready to serve that demand,” said Georgia Power spokesperson Matthew Kent. Under the contract, OpenAI will fully fund the infrastructure needed to support the project. The tech company has also committed up to 1,000 MW of “flexible demand response,” meaning Georgia Power can reduce energy delivered to the facility during times of peak statewide electricity demand. Kent said Georgia Power is obligated to provide power to businesses in their area, and that this contract approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission will help protect customers from higher rates, by having the data centers pay their share.…
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