xAI installs eight converted jet-engine turbines for 400 MW at Colossus 2

TechRadar reports that xAI has deployed eight aeroderivative gas turbines, which are jet engines converted for stationary power generation, at its Colossus 2 site in Mississippi. Together they supply about 400 MW, enough to run a frontier-scale training cluster without waiting years for a utility interconnection.

The approach trades speed for emissions and cost. Aeroderivative turbines can be installed in months, and each delivers up to 50 MW. They are less efficient than combined-cycle plants and emit volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. xAI's stated goal is a sevenfold compute increase by the end of 2027, and on-site generation is the only way to hit that timeline given grid backlogs across the US.

Other labs face the same power constraint. OpenAI this week pledged to cover full electricity costs for communities hosting its datacenters, and hyperscalers are signing nuclear and gas deals. xAI's approach is the most aggressive and visible example of building power on site.

The Southern Environmental Law Center has challenged the permits, continuing a fight that began over turbines at the original Colossus site in Memphis. Community reaction is split between admiration for the engineering shortcut and worry about local air quality. Watch for permit rulings and whether the turbines remain once grid power arrives.