GoKawiil
Tech News
OpenAI announced a Grid Protectors Program designed to cut electricity use at its data centers when local grids are under heavy demand, rather than waiting for new power supply to come online. The company says it has already signed a 3.2-gigawatt agreement with Georgia Power for its planned Effingham County campus, including 1,000 megawatts set aside for flexible demand response.
OpenAI launched a 'Grid Protectors Program' on Monday, starting with a site in Effingham County, Georgia, aimed at easing concerns about AI infrastructure straining local power grids during extreme weather. In the roughly 900-word announcement, OpenAI used the term 'compute campus' far more often than 'data center,' a phrase not previously found on its website. The company pledged to 'pay the costs we create' and help communities 'keep the lights on.'
OpenAI announced Monday it will pilot a 'Grid Protectors Program' at a new data center in Effingham County, Georgia, pledging to free up to 1,000 megawatts of power during extreme weather or emergencies — enough to power air conditioning in roughly 700,000 homes. The company frames this as making its data center power supply available to utilities when local communities face strain.