
U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is calling for a statewide moratorium on new data center construction in Georgia, saying large projects should not move forward until protections are in place for local residents.

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is calling for a statewide moratorium on new data center construction in Georgia, saying large projects should not move forward until protections are in place for local residents.

Georgia Power says a newly approved contract to provide electricity to OpenAI’s massive data center project in Effingham County will ultimately help lower costs for residential customers, but consumer and environmental advocates say significant questions remain about the unprecedented growth of data centers and how their costs will be tracked.

Governor Brian Kemp recently met privately with executives from OpenAI and Georgia Power as state leaders continue exploring Georgia’s role in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence industry. According to documents obtained through the Georgia Open Records Act, the meeting took place on June 11 at the State Capitol, although neither the Governor’s Office nor OpenAI disclosed what was discussed.