OpenAI Drops NDAs and Agrees to Pay Power for Its US Compute Campuses

Overview

• OpenAI announced the package on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2026, and said it will stop using nondisclosure agreements with public officials except for narrow security, trade‑secret, or competitively sensitive protections.
• The company committed to pay the full cost of electricity for its sites and to fund required utility and grid upgrades while pledging to cut power use during peak demand periods.
• Every future “compute campus” the company owns will be governed by a site‑specific local compact that must reflect local priorities and include published job estimates, hiring reports, and water‑use plans.
• OpenAI also released a National Community Compact and a Compute Campus Policy Blueprint that urge state and local governments to set clear rules for how large server projects are reviewed and built.
• The moves follow strong voter opposition to data centers in recent midterms and mirror industry shifts such as Amazon dropping NDAs, but officials say uncertainty remains about whether these commitments will stop moratoria, new restrictions, or delays to planned projects.