Memphis, TN · Shelby County · 35.056°N 90.015°W
Colossus
xAI
Key facts
- Location
- Memphis, TN, Shelby County
- Capacity
- 150 MW
- Powered by
- grid (Memphis Light Gas & Water)
- Announced
- 2024
- Last updated
Civic impact
Energy & water
- Energy source
- Mixed · Utility: Memphis Light Gas & Water (MLGW) / TVA
- On-site generation
- 422 MW
- Cooling
- Evaporative
- Water use
- 3 MGD
About 35 on-site natural-gas turbines (a combined 422 MW per SELC and aerial imagery) supplement a 150 MW grid substation and Tesla Megapack storage. The Shelby County Health Department permitted only 15 turbines; an SELC/NAACP appeal stays that permit. xAI said the Phase-I temporary turbines would be demobilized after grid connection, but 2025 aerial imagery shows 35 on site.
The open cooling loop's design draw is roughly 3 MGD from the Memphis Sands aquifer via MLGW (xAI engineer, per Governing), though Protect Our Aquifer reported a lower early-operational actual of ~0.8 MGD (~812,000 gal/day) in early 2025 as the site was still ramping. xAI broke ground in Oct 2025 on an $80M greywater-recycling plant at the T.E. Maxson wastewater facility (targeting ~10 MGD of treated wastewater); construction was later paused.
Community sentiment
The NAACP (with SELC and Earthjustice) sued xAI over roughly 35 unpermitted methane gas turbines; the county permitted only 15, and the NAACP/SELC appeal to the Shelby County Air Pollution Control Board stays it. The permit drew 1,700+ public comments, most opposed, and South Memphis (Boxtown) residents already face elevated asthma and cancer rates. xAI did not pursue a Shelby County EDGE PILOT tax abatement; no public subsidy is on record.
Musk's xAI permits challenged by NAACP, environmental groups in Memphis — CNBCStatus history
- Under construction
Construction began; completed in approximately 122 days
Colossus (supercomputer) — Wikipedia - Operational
Phase 1 online with ~100,000 NVIDIA H100 GPUs; later expanded with H200s
Musk says xAI has built world's most powerful AI training cluster — Reuters
Location
Sources & data provenance
Reported: data based on credible news outlets or industry sources.
Last updated:
- WikipediaRetrieved:
- ReutersRetrieved:
- Data Center DynamicsRetrieved:
- GoverningRetrieved:
- CNBCRetrieved:
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