xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, has informed city and county officials that it intends to build an 88-acre solar farm adjacent to its Colossus data center, one of the world’s largest AI training facilities. The installation would sit on land surrounding the center and is expected to generate roughly 30 megawatts of power — a fraction of the site’s total energy needs.
The announcement comes as xAI faces mounting criticism for operating more than 400 megawatts of natural-gas turbines without proper permits. Environmental groups, including the Southern Environmental Law Center working with the NAACP, have raised concerns about nitrogen oxide emissions and their impact on nearby Boxtown, a predominantly Black community where researchers have recorded sharp increases in local air pollution since the facility opened.
Local officials have authorized the company to operate 15 turbines through January 2027 while it seeks alternative power sources. xAI has separately outlined plans for a 100-megawatt solar and battery project, backed by a federal loan awarded to partner developer Seven States Power Corporation. At the same time, the company is expanding its energy footprint in Mississippi with additional gas turbines to support a second Colossus site.
