OpenAI has released a new set of rules it says it will follow when building AI data centers in the United States. The plan focuses on who pays for electricity and how much local residents can see and say about each project.
The company published two documents. The first is a National Community Compact, which lists what towns can expect at future compute campuses that OpenAI owns and operates. The second is a Compute Campus Policy Blueprint, which asks governments to set rules for the whole industry.
The new documents build on Stargate Community commitments OpenAI announced in January. Those were followed by specific pledges in Georgia and Ohio covering energy costs, water use, local investment and accountability.
Who Pays for the Power
The largest part of the compact deals with energy bills. OpenAI says it will pay the full cost of the electricity it uses and the infrastructure needed to serve its campuses.
The company also says it will provide financial assurances before major spending begins. These are meant to protect other utility customers if a project is delayed, reduced or canceled.
The blueprint asks state utility commissions to make this a rule for all large electricity users. It says big customers should cover the costs they add to the grid. It also says utilities should make it easier for campuses to connect if they can safely cut demand when power is scarce.
OpenAI pointed to its planned campus in Effingham County, Georgia, as an example. Its agreement with Georgia Power allows the utility to cut the power it delivers to the site by up to 1,000 megawatts during periods of high demand.
The blueprint also asks Congress to speed up transmission upgrades. It calls for restoring and expanding tax incentives for clean electricity.
Limits on Secrecy
OpenAI says it will not use non-disclosure agreements with public officials. It will allow only narrow protections for security information, trade secrets or competitively sensitive data.
The blueprint asks lawmakers to set similar limits for all developers. It also says the terms of any state or local tax incentives should be made public, with a way to recover benefits if a developer falls short.
Each campus will have a water plan, with priority given to closed-loop or low-water cooling. OpenAI says it will publish site-level water and electricity use, along with construction plans and independent noise studies.
Noise studies will be released before operations begin and every year after that. The company will also report annually on hiring and apprenticeships at each site.
Every future campus will get its own local compact shaped by residents. OpenAI says it will involve people early enough for their input to change project plans, and it will give them a local point of contact for the life of the campus.
The company says it will publish the number of jobs it expects to create. It plans to work with unions and training providers to help residents prepare for those roles.
Local spending will depend on what each community chooses. In Effingham County, residents helped shape a $4.8 million grant to provide free school meals for all 14,000 students in the county.
In Pike County, Ohio, families named childcare as a top need. That led to a joint $6 million commitment from OpenAI and SB Energy.
