OpenAI launches Grid Protectors Program, data centers can cut up to 1 gigawatt of load in extreme weather
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OpenAI announced the "Grid Protectors Program," extending a commitment for a planned data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia, to the entire United States, with the ability to cut up to 1 gigawatt of electricity load when the grid needs relief, roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption of 700,000 households. OpenAI said it will negotiate with power companies to determine the scale of reducible load, response speed and duration, and details for each campus will be announced separately once finalized. John McCarrick, OpenAI's head of energy policy, said this reflects a shift in industry thinking and technology, and noted that a year ago some large cloud providers still insisted on the "five nines" reliability standard of 99.999% continuous uptime.
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OpenAI turns data center power flexibility from a vision commitment into negotiable operating rules, allowing readers to understand changes in the relationship between AI infrastructure and the power grid.
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新闻背景：这项名为“电网守护者计划（Grid Protectors Program）”，打算把佐治亚州埃芬厄姆县拟建数据中心园区已作出的承诺推广至全美。
在该项目上，OpenAI承诺电网需要减负时，最多可削减1吉瓦用电负荷，大致相当于70万户家庭的用电量。
OpenAI将于今日晚些时候在博客中表示：“我们的目标是，把这类负荷调节能力，作为未来数据中心园区建设与运营的核心组成部分。”
博文写道：“这意味着……我们将和电力公司协商确定可削减的负荷规模、响应速度以及持续时长。”
不同园区的具体方案各不相同，细节敲定后另行公布。
相关表态：OpenAI能源政策负责人约翰·麦卡里克称，该举措反映出行业思路、技术的转变，以及吸纳社区反馈后的调整。
他表示：“大约一年前，我和另一家大型云厂商开会，对方还在死守五个九的可靠性标准，但现在没人再坚持这一点了。”“五个九”指数据中心必须实现99.999%的持续在线。
包括OpenAI在内的AI及科技巨头已陆续作出承诺，做电网友好型用户，避免推高普通用电居民的电费。
OpenAI将周一的这项公告定位为：从愿景式承诺，落地为一套可实操的运营规则。
OpenAI同时提出，数据中心其实能够惠及普通电力用户。
后续观察方向：政策制定者已从多个方面推动数据中心具备用电弹性。
美国联邦能源监管委员会（FERC）要求电网运营方对大客户并网流程作出说明或改革，相关条款就鼓励这类弹性调节。
参议院的许可法案更是明确允许各州将“高峰时段限电”作为数据中心接入电网的前置条件。