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SpaceX won’t remove all of xAI’s unpermitted turbines for another year
TechCrunch • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX announced it will remove unpermitted gas turbines powering its xAI data centers near Memphis by July 2027 as it shifts to a permanent 1.2 gigawatt natural gas power plant.
- Currently, 69 gas turbines are operating at the Colossus data centers, many running for months without permits, leading to lawsuits from the NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center.
- SpaceX argues the turbines don't require permits because they remain on trailers, but federal regulations state permits are necessary due to their size and usage.
- The turbines, located in a highly polluted area near Memphis, have the potential to emit over 2,000 tons of smog-forming NOx annually; the Department of Justice has supported SpaceX, citing national and economic security concerns.
- Elon Musk's recent acquisition of APR Energy, which operates different turbines from those planned for the new power plant, suggests the new turbine fleet may be intended for an additional, undisclosed project.
