xAI installs eight jet-engine generators to power Colossus 2
ProEnergy converts retired General Electric aircraft engines into stationary units of up to 50 megawatts each for the Mississippi site.
xAI has installed eight refurbished jet-engine generators at its Mississippi facility to supply extra electricity to the Colossus 2 computing complex, according to techradar.com. The units are built by ProEnergy, a Missouri company that converts retired General Electric aircraft engines into stationary generators.
Each refurbished generator can reportedly produce up to 50 megawatts, roughly the electricity needs of about 15,000 homes. xAI is owned by Elon Musk.
Mississippi permits for the eight turbines reportedly allow a 25% higher limit for certain volatile organic compounds, and there are concerns about carbon monoxide emissions. The Southern Environmental Law Center has challenged the state's approval, arguing that xAI has not adequately addressed pollutants including formaldehyde and questioning the projected emissions calculations.
The approach is not unique in the sector. In 2025, OpenAI adopted gas turbines at its first Stargate facility in Abilene, Texas, and in April 2026 developer Crusoe ordered 13 ProEnergy generators.
Power availability has become a constraint on data center buildouts. By April 2026, approximately half of planned data center developments had reportedly been postponed or abandoned, partly because electricity was unavailable. In July 2026, a forecast projected that American data centers could consume 20% of national electricity by 2035, 83% higher than an estimate released seven months earlier.
Quick answers
What is powering xAI's Colossus 2 site in Mississippi?
xAI has installed eight refurbished jet-engine generators built by ProEnergy, each reportedly capable of up to 50 megawatts.
Why is the Mississippi permit being challenged?
The Southern Environmental Law Center argues xAI has not adequately addressed pollutants including formaldehyde and questions the projected emissions calculations.