OpenAI launches Grid Protectors Program near Effingham data center

OpenAI has launched its Grid Protectors Program, which aims to support reliable and affordable electricity for residents and businesses near its data centers. The program is starting at a planned data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia.

OpenAI says its agreement with Georgia Power provides for up to 1,000 megawatts of flexible demand response at the site. The company says this is intended to help keep electricity available to local homes and businesses, including air conditioning in hundreds of thousands of homes during extreme heat.

OpenAI compares the flexible demand capacity with the average electricity demand of roughly 700,000 households. It also says that amount exceeds the combined household demand of Washington, D.C., and Boston. These are figures and comparisons reported by OpenAI.

The company describes the program as a starting point and says its future compute facilities are designed to be more flexible in their electricity use than older facilities. OpenAI says it will work with utilities, regulators and policymakers on arrangements that reflect local grid needs, help campuses support the grid during periods of pressure, and cover costs created by its projects. It also says long-term contracts and financial assurances can protect other customers if a project is delayed, reduced or canceled.