Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says his administration is pressing ahead with efforts to make the state a national leader in electric vehicle manufacturing while expanding its power grid to accommodate a surge of artificial intelligence data centers.

Speaking on Politico's Energy Podcast, Kemp said Georgia's strategy to recruit EV manufacturers was never about leveraging the federal tax credits included in former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, which he opposed.

"I still feel very strongly that EVs are going to have a place in the country along with a lot of the other great vehicles that we have, and you know, it really just needs to be customer choice," Kemp said.

The Republican governor has made recruiting manufacturers a centerpiece of his economic agenda. During his 2023 inaugural address, he pledged to make Georgia the "electric mobility capital of America."

Since then, the state has landed more than $27 billion in announced private investments tied to EVs and battery production, according to Politico.

Among the latest projects is Hyundai's new $5 billion manufacturing complex outside Atlanta, which is expected to produce enough batteries for roughly 300,000 electric vehicles each year.

With about six months remaining in office, Kemp said more major economic development announcements could still be on the way.

"I can't really speak to exactly what is on the horizon, but I'll just tell you, I've only got about six months left in office, but I've got a couple of really, really good economic development projects that the team and I are working on," he said.

Kemp is also reportedly encouraging continued investment in AI data centers, even as some communities raise concerns about increased electricity demand, water usage, and higher utility costs.

Politico reported that OpenAI recently announced plans for a $20 billion data center near the Port of Savannah, one of several large projects expected to boost power consumption across the state.

While some Georgia counties have adopted temporary moratoriums on new data centers, Kemp said the state should leave those decisions to local communities rather than impose a statewide ban.

"We're not trying to go around and push a data center in somebody's neighborhood that doesn't want it," he said. "But there's a lot of communities that see the benefits of this and want these projects."

As electricity demand rises, Kemp said his administration is committed to ensuring the companies building massive AI facilities — not Georgia families — cover the cost of expanding the state's electric grid.

"We're making the hyperscalers pay," he said. "The bottom line is we're not going to put that on the back of the ratepayers. We're going to build our grid out, create these great jobs, supply the market, but also reduce power rates."

Kemp also criticized Democrat gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms' proposal for a statewide moratorium.

"I'm not saying we need a data center in every community that's out there, but to have a moratorium — just like the governor of New York did, and what Keisha Lance Bottoms is proposing — to me, is irresponsible," he said.