SpaceX to Keep xAI Turbines Running Until 2027

SpaceX has confirmed that the gas turbines currently powering xAI’s Colossus data centers near Memphis will remain in operation for nearly another year, with full removal not expected until July 2027.

The company said on Thursday that it is transitioning the site to a permanent 1.2-gigawatt natural gas power plant, but the existing turbines will continue operating during that process. According to SpaceX, 69 gas turbines are currently being used to support the Colossus facilities, and many of them have already been running for months.

The issue has become a major legal and environmental controversy. The NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center have sued xAI over the use of turbines that allegedly lack the required permits. SpaceX acquired xAI in February, bringing the data-center operation under its control.

In a recent IPO filing, SpaceX disclosed plans to purchase $2.8 billion worth of gas turbines for its data centers over the next three years, signaling a significant expansion of its energy infrastructure.

SpaceX argues that the existing turbines can legally operate without permits because they remain mounted on the trailers on which they were delivered. However, federal regulations cited by critics say the turbines require permits due to their size and the way they are being used, regardless of whether they are attached to trailers.

The turbines are located in Mississippi, just south of Memphis and across the Tennessee border. The surrounding area is already considered one of the more polluted regions in the United States. Environmental groups say the xAI turbine operation has the potential to emit more than 2,000 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) per year.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice took an unusual step by siding with SpaceX in the NAACP lawsuit. The DOJ argued that the turbine operation involves matters of national, economic, and energy security.

Permit documents issued by the state of Mississippi show that the new permanent power plant will include 41 gas turbines ranging from 16.48 megawatts to 50 megawatts each. These appear to be different from the 69 turbines currently operating, although the specific models of the existing units have not been publicly verified.

Another interesting detail emerged earlier this year when Elon Musk acquired APR Energy, a company known for temporary natural-gas power systems. Archived versions of APR Energy’s website suggest that its turbine fleet is also different from the turbines listed in permits for the new Colossus plant.

That has led to speculation that the APR Energy equipment may be intended for another project that has not yet been announced, rather than for the new permanent xAI power facility.

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