2 data centers planned near Beaufort County

July 24, 2026

1–2 minutes

Summary

Two AI-related data centers are planned near Beaufort County, but none have been announced for Beaufort itself.

Why this matters

The projects could affect regional power planning and local debates over data center development. For Beaufort County residents, the story clarifies that no data center has been announced locally.

Two data centers are planned near Beaufort County, one in Effingham County, Georgia, and one at the Savannah River Site in Barnwell County, South Carolina.

Both projects are intended to support artificial intelligence technology. South Carolina has 20 built or planned data centers, and none are in Beaufort County.

Data centers have drawn scrutiny over power use, water consumption, and noise.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, will build the Effingham County project, known as “Project Camellia,” according to a Tuesday press release. OpenAI said ChatGPT processes more than 2 billion queries a day.

OpenAI described the project as “long-term” and said it will require 3.2 gigawatts, or 3,200 megawatts, of power when completed. Georgia Power will provide that power in phases from 2028 to 2032, according to the release.

For comparison, the natural gas plant proposed by Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper in Canadys, South Carolina, would produce 2,200 megawatts, which the utilities said can power 1 million homes and businesses.

OpenAI said the Effingham County project will not raise residents’ power costs, will use minimal water, and will benefit the local community. The company also said an independent firm will audit the project annually and release the results publicly.

Separately, the U.S. Department of Energy selected four federal sites for data center development, including the Savannah River Site, a 310-square-mile complex used to manufacture materials for nuclear weapons.

The National Nuclear Security Administration chose engineering company Amentum to build that data center and on-site power generation. According to a press release from the agency, the data center will require 1 gigawatt of power, and the on-site energy source will produce 2 gigawatts.

The National Nuclear Security Administration has not released a timeline for the project or identified which company or companies will use the data center.

Nine South Carolina counties have passed or proposed moratoriums on data center development, and two have adopted regulations. Beaufort County is not among those 11 counties, and there are no announced plans for a data center there.

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