DATACENTERS selc xai illegal power plant
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“Copying and pasting” an unlawful strategy
Thermal imagery shows unpermitted gas turbines at Colossus 1. (Steve Jones)
This isn’t the first time xAI has built a powerplant in the Memphis area without any permits or public oversight. The company began operations at its first site, Colossus 1, in June of 2024 and used as many as 35 unpermitted gas turbines to power the facility. Despite receiving intense public pushback over the use of illegal turbines and the lack of public input and transparency around Colossus 1, xAI officials said it planned on “copying and pasting” its unlawful turbine strategy to power Colossus 2.
xAI removed its unpermitted turbines at the Colossus 1 data center after SELC, on behalf of the NAACP, sent a notice of intent to sue under the Clean Air Act. The company obtained permits for its remaining 15 turbines.
xAI is currently planning to operate a third data center in the Memphis area—this one also located in Southaven—but the company has not provided any details about how the third will be powered or the impact it will have on air quality and community members’ health.
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