The Shelby County Health Department on Wednesday approved a construction permit for the installation of 15 turbines to power Elon Musk’s xAI Colossus supercomputer in Memphis, which the billionaire said would become the world’s largest. Colossus is used to power the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok.
According to the permit, xAI has authorization to install 15 combustion turbine units that will be powered using natural gas, with many of the turbines subject to regular testing, and the facility required to keep regular emissions records. Should xAI be deemed out of compliance with the permit, it explains the company can be fined up to $10,000 per day, per violation.
The permit was granted after months of opposition from local activists, including State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), who in April successfully demanded the Shelby County Commission hold sessions to hear from the public before the permit was approved.
The state lawmaker’s brother, KeShawn Pearson, additionally leads activists against xAI through his organization, Memphis Community Against Pollution, and in May called for activists to unite in a display of “environmental intersectionalism” to stop xAI from receiving the permit for its gas turbines.
Despite the approval, xAI has reportedly filed additional permits to install between 40 and 90 turbines at another facility in Memphis, and Justin Pearson last month said he hoped the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would take steps to block them.
“It concerns me when EPA says one of its goals is the expansion of data centers and it’s not saying its responsibility is to make sure everyone has the ability to breathe clean air,” he told German-owned Politico in June. “I remain hopeful that the EPA will do its part to stop the illegal pollution of our lungs, and I’m also cautious that this admin has not done things that are helpful for people in the communities I represent.”
More recently, Musk’s company was notified of a forthcoming lawsuit by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), claiming that xAI polluted the area while claiming to operate mobile turbines that can operate without requiring regulatory approval for one year.
“Over the last year, these turbines have pumped out pollution that threatens the health of Memphis families,” said an SELC attorney last month. “This notice paves the way for a lawsuit that can hold xAI accountable for its unlawful refusal to get permits for its gas turbines.”
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
