Advocates Object to Lack of Transparency, Accountability in Open AI Contract with Georgia Power

Three environmental groups, NRDC, the Sierra Club, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, have asked Georgia's Public Service Commission to reject OpenAI's contract for electric service with Georgia Power unless the utility opens up the deal to public scrutiny and adds stronger protections for customers. OpenAI is requesting 3.2 gigawatts of power for what would be the largest customer ever added to Georgia's grid, potentially requiring billions of dollars in new infrastructure. The groups say the contract has been redacted in its entirety, leaving the public in the dark about terms that could shift costs onto ordinary ratepayers.

The advocates want Georgia Power to publicly disclose key contract details, such as load commitments, exit terms, and infrastructure costs. They're also asking for a standard "large-load customer" rate category instead of individual, closed-door deals, plus a requirement that the commission formally vote to approve any contract this large, such as one exceeding 500 megawatts or $1 billion in infrastructure spending.

For homeowners, this matters because utility costs for massive new customers like data centers can end up spread across everyone's monthly bill if contracts don't guarantee the new customer covers its own costs. The advocates argue Georgia Power ratepayers could be left paying for infrastructure built to serve a single company. The Public Service Commission has not yet ruled on the objection.