NEWS
OpenAI continues to partner with Effingham County and gather feedback from residents, businesses and community organizations as plans for Project Camellia move forward.
The Project Camellia team recognizes that the community has a wide range of questions and remains committed to providing facts, answering concerns and fostering an ongoing two-way dialogue. The engagement process is intended to help ensure the project delivers meaningful benefits for Effingham County and the surrounding region.
Project Camellia is planned for an existing industrially zoned parcel within the Savannah Gateway Industrial Park, where data center development is a permitted land use.
According to the project team, the facility will use a closed-loop water-cooling system that will not continuously draw from local water supplies or create significant long-term effects on water resources.
OpenAI will pay upfront for the energy and electrical-grid infrastructure associated with the project. Under Georgia Public Service Commission rules, projects such as Project Camellia are not expected to increase residential customers’ electric bills.
The facility is also being designed to proactively reduce electricity consumption during periods of high demand. This capability is intended to help Georgia Power manage peak demand and support grid reliability without replacing the reduced power with on-site generation.
Plans include considerable setbacks around the property to create buffers between the facility and nearby homes and roads. The final design is expected to exceed a 300-foot setback wherever possible throughout the campus, helping limit visual and noise impacts.
Studies examining anticipated noise levels are underway, with results expected to be released publicly. Environmental and noise impacts will continue to be evaluated as the planning process advances.
Project Camellia is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new county revenue to support schools, public safety, roads and other essential services. OpenAI is also expected to become the largest property taxpayer in Effingham County.
Community Engagement Continues
Several hundred residents attended a July 23 open house at the Effingham College and Career Academy. Subject-matter experts provided information and answered questions in individual conversations while gathering additional community feedback.
When answers were not immediately available, the project team collected residents’ contact information and committed to providing detailed follow-up responses.
Community outreach has also included visits to nearly 800 homes in neighborhoods near the proposed project site. Representatives have distributed project fact sheets, answered questions, and collected contact information for residents seeking additional details.
Questions and feedback may also be submitted by calling 912-513-7005 or emailing the Project Camellia Team **********@*************ia.com.”>HERE. Online outreach provides additional information about electricity use, water consumption, and other aspects of the proposal.
Interest from the local business community continues to grow. Nearly 120 businesses have submitted expressions of interest to participate in the project’s construction via the local supplier page. Effingham County residents have also contacted the project team regarding potential employment opportunities once the facility becomes operational.
OpenAI plans to continue working with local organizations to share information about employment, contracting, and supplier opportunities throughout the region.
Additional information is available through the following resources:
Project Fact Sheet: www.projectcamellia.com/factsheet
Questions and Feedback: www.projectcamellia.com/contactus
Vendor and Supplier Interest: www.projectcamellia.com/localsuppliers
The Project Camellia team will continue providing updates as community engagement and project planning efforts progress.