xAI solar plan for Colossus Supercomputing draws skepticism amid gas controversy

xAI has filed plans to build an 88-megawatt solar farm with 100 MW of battery storage adjacent to its 88-acre Colossus AI supercomputing facility in Tennessee. The project—backed by a $439 million federal grant and interest-free loan to developer Seven States Power—is set to begin construction in Q1 2026 and connect to the grid by Q2 2027.

However, the solar array is expected to generate only 30 MW of usable power, covering just 10% of Colossus massive electricity demand. As a result, xAI will remain heavily reliant on natural gas turbines, which have sparked public outcry and legal action.

Gas Turbine Backlash Grows

• Over 400 MW of unpermitted natural gas turbines are already operating near Colossus, including 35 large units emitting more than 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides annually.
• The Southern Environmental Law Center and NAACP have sued over air quality violations.
• A University of Tennessee study found NO₂ levels in the nearby Boxtown community—a predominantly Black neighborhood—rose 79% after Colossus launched, correlating with increased asthma and respiratory emergencies.
• xAI holds temporary permits for 15 turbines until January 2027 and is adding 59 more at its Colossus2 site in Mississippi, with 18 labeled “temporary” to bypass emissions reporting.

Environmental groups accuse xAI of using solar as a “cover-up,” noting that even with expansion, solar will supply less than 15% of Colossus’s power. They urge state regulators to mandate a minimum renewable energy share instead of issuing repeated temporary gas permits.

Elon Musk responded publicly, calling “solar plus storage” a transitional step toward a goal of 100% clean power by 2028—but offered no detailed roadmap or binding timeline.