Residents Say OpenAI's $20B Data Centre Was Planned in Secret Meetings Near Two Elementary Schools

OpenAI's Project Camellia is a planned $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia, spanning approximately 1,440 acres. Residents have initiated legal action, contending that negotiations and decisions for this major infrastructure project proceeded with insufficient public input. The lawsuit alleges that land purchase agreements were signed before the local Industrial Development Authority formally considered the project, and challenges a subsequent development agreement and zoning amendment.

Data centers are critical facilities housing the computing systems necessary for advanced AI models. Residents' concerns include potential strain on local electricity, water, and roads, as well as noise. OpenAI has announced plans to contract for 3.2 gigawatts of electricity, to be delivered in phases, and states it will cover the full cost of required infrastructure. The company also describes a closed-loop cooling system intended to limit water use; however, the effectiveness of these measures depends on their final design and implementation.

The legal challenge centres on whether the process leading to the development complied with Georgia's Open Meetings Act, which generally requires public bodies to hold open meetings with advance notice. While confidentiality agreements were part of the negotiations, this alone does not establish a legal violation. The county has promoted potential economic benefits, including long-term tax revenue and about 400 permanent jobs, alongside an $80 million community-benefits commitment from OpenAI, which includes a school-meals grant.