All articles tagged with #gas turbines
Amazon backs a Texas gas-fired, off-the-grid power plant to power a large Pecos County data center, a plan that could make it the largest single source of U.S. climate pollution and draws scrutiny over emissions, fast-track permitting, and its 2040 net-zero pledge as rivals pursue similar behind-the-meter energy projects.
SpaceX and its xAI unit agreed with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to remove all 69 temporary mobile gas turbines powering the Colossus data-center site by July 2027, with removal to begin as soon as August as a permanent 1.2 GW natural-gas plant comes online; the arrangement follows a lawsuit by the NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center alleging operation without a permit, a claim the DOJ has supported xAI on. SpaceX uses Colossus for Grok model training and has leased capacity to other AI firms like Anthropic, while signaling a multi‑billion-dollar turbine purchase and a massive AI total addressable market as part of its SpaceX–xAI strategy.
Elon Musk quietly bought APR Energy for about $1 billion to deploy mobile gas turbines that power Grok, the AI compute behind xAI, a move designed to accelerate capacity without grid interconnections but relying on fossil-fuel generation in communities already facing pollution concerns and drawing criticism for a pivot away from Musk’s renewable-energy branding.
The Trump administration asks a Mississippi federal court to dismiss the NAACP’s Clean Air Act suit against xAI and its unit over alleged unpermitted gas turbines at the Colossus Plant powering the Grok data center, arguing federal enforcement isn’t needed after the Mississippi DEQ deemed some turbines mobile sources not subject to permits. The NAACP contends the turbines threaten health in Black communities, while SELC warns that blocking citizen enforcement could undermine environmental justice. The case, in the Northern District of Mississippi, also touches on national security claims tied to Grok’s military data-center uses.
xAI added 19 portable natural gas turbines to its Colossus 2 data center in Southaven, Mississippi, bringing the total to 46 turbines and over 500 MW of output as the NAACP and environmental groups sue over alleged Clean Air Act permit violations; regulators say the portable units are under review and will determine how many more can be added.
Tech giants are increasingly turning to on-site gas-powered power plants and storage to power data centers as grid connections lag behind surging AI energy needs, with projects like several Meta facilities in New Albany, Ohio; these off-grid setups rely on gas turbines, engines, and batteries, a costly, emissions-intensive choice regulators are watching, and industry analysts question how long the trend will last as grid capacity improves.
A Sterling, Virginia data center operated by Vantage Data Centers powers itself with gas turbines, causing a persistent high-pitched noise that neighbors say makes their homes unusable and spurs calls for zoning changes; Harvard-backed analyses warn of potential health costs from soot emissions, while the company and local officials emphasize permits and ongoing investigations. The piece places the local disruption within a broader policy debate as Trump pushes data centers to build their own power, highlighting the tension between powerful digital infrastructure and community quality of life.
Environmental groups won a ruling that clarifies temporary gas-turbine generators used by xAI’s Grok data centers must still comply with clean-air permits. The EPA update closes a local loophole that allowed turbines to operate without federal permits by being labeled as “non-road” or temporary, meaning federal oversight now governs the permitting process for Grok-powered facilities in Tennessee. SELC and allied groups argue this closes a loophole that could worsen air pollution, while xAI has moved to obtain permits; the NAACP emphasizes swift enforcement to protect nearby communities.
Elon Musk's xAI is under scrutiny for operating a 407 MW gas-fired power plant in Memphis without proper permits, raising environmental and legal concerns amid local air quality issues and regulatory violations, highlighting tensions between technological innovation and environmental responsibility.
General Electric has reportedly stopped servicing gas turbines at thermal power plants in Russia without explanation, according to sources in power generating companies. The company suspended its operations in Russia after Moscow invaded Ukraine, with the exception of providing essential medical equipment and supporting existing power services in the region.