SpaceX to Take Another Year to Remove Unpermitted xAI Turbines

SpaceX said on Thursday that it will remove the unpermitted turbines powering its xAI data centers near Memphis as it transitions to a permanent, 1.2 gigawatt natural gas power plant, but the turbines won't be completely removed until July 2027. SpaceX is currently operating 69 gas turbines to power the Colossus data centers, many of which have been running for months. The NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center have sued xAI over the use of unpermitted turbines. SpaceX acquired xAI in February. In its IPO filing, SpaceX said it plans to buy $2.8 billion worth of gas turbines for its data centers over the next three years. SpaceX claims it is allowed to operate the existing turbines without permits because they remain on the trailers they were shipped on, but federal regulations say the turbines require permits due to their size and usage. The turbines are currently located south of Memphis in Mississippi, a region among the most polluted in the U.S., and have the potential to emit over 2,000 tons of smog-forming NOx per year. Last month, the Department of Justice sided with SpaceX, citing national, economic, and energy security. The new power plant will consist of 41 gas turbines ranging from 16.48 to 50 megawatts, according to Mississippi permit documents, and appear different from the current ones. Earlier this year, Elon Musk bought APR Energy, a temporary gas power specialist, whose fleet turbines also appear different from the new plant's, suggesting the new fleet may be for an unannounced project.