xAI Colossus supercomputer (former Electrolux plant)
Also called: Colossus 1, xAI Memphis
Elon Musk's company xAI turned a former Electrolux factory in southwest Memphis into a huge AI supercomputer called Colossus. It uses up to 150 megawatts from the grid and also runs gas turbines on site, which neighbors and civil rights groups say pollute the air. The NAACP has a pending lawsuit over the turbines.
Where things stand: Running since 2024. The county health department allowed 15 gas turbines on site in July 2025; the NAACP has challenged the turbines in a pending lawsuit.
🕒 Latest update (July 2, 2025): The Shelby County Health Department gave xAI an air permit for 15 gas turbines on Paul R. Lowry Road, good through 2030.
What we know
- 📍 Where3231 Paul R. Lowry Road in the Pidgeon Industrial Park, southwest Memphis (geocoded with the Census geocoder), Memphis, Shelby County
- 🏢 CompanyxAI
- 👤 Built forxAI (Grok chatbot)
- ⚡ Power it needs150 megawatts (about as much as 120,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromMLGW and TVA grid power (150 megawatts approved by TVA in Nov. 2024), plus gas turbines on site and Tesla Megapack batteries.
- 🗼 New power linesYes
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- How much water does the Colossus site use per day, and is the promised water recycling plant built? 🙋 I'll find out
- How many gas turbines are running on site today? 🙋 I'll find out
- What is the outcome of the legal challenges over the gas turbines? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Nov 7, 2024The TVA board approved MLGW's request to raise power to the xAI site to 150 megawatts.
- July 2, 2025The Shelby County Health Department gave xAI an air permit for 15 gas turbines on Paul R. Lowry Road, good through 2030.
Local votes and rules
⏸️ Pause on new data centers
Memphis City Council is voting on a one-year pause on new data centers and AI or crypto computing sites. During the pause the city would not process rezonings, site plans or building permits for them. Existing data centers that do not expand are exempt. It passed the second of three votes unanimously on Sept. 1, 2026. The final vote was delayed twice; on Oct. 6 the council voted 7-5 to push it to Oct. 20, 2026.
⚖️ Court case
The Southern Environmental Law Center, for the NAACP and Young, Gifted & Green, appealed the Shelby County Health Department's air permit that lets xAI run 15 gas turbines at its South Memphis data center. They also object to how the department handled dozens of turbines that ran without a permit. We did not find a decision.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- TVA board approves power for xAI project · Memphis Flyer · Nov 7, 2024
- Musk's xAI scores permit for gas-burning turbines to power Grok supercomputer in Memphis · CNBC (via NBC San Diego) · July 3, 2025
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