Environmental Concerns Emerge Over AI Supercomputer in Memphis

When users access the Grok AI chatbot on X, the vast supercomputer, Colossus, springs into action. Located in a South Memphis industrial area, this supercomputer is made up of 100,000 processors spanning an area equivalent to 13 football fields. The facility is situated near Boxtown, a historic neighborhood established by freed enslaved individuals in the 1860s, which has been burdened by pollution and environmental issues for years.

Operating such a powerful computer to deliver AI services requires a tremendous amount of energy, which many climate justice advocates in Memphis have traced back to around 35 gas-powered turbine generators. These generators can produce energy and emissions that rival those of a full-scale power plant. While xAI, the company behind the supercomputer, has only applied for permits to operate 15 of these generators temporarily, it appears they may be exploiting a regulatory loophole. According to reports, they can operate generators without permits as long as they don’t stay in the same place for more than a year. Aerial images have shown that the generators are housed in trailer-like units that can be moved.

“xAI has essentially built a power plant in South Memphis without any oversight, permits, or regard for the health of local residents,” stated Amanda Garcia, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). “These gas turbines are significantly damaging the air quality for the residents of Memphis.”

This facility has been operational since last June. Initially, xAI planned to source electricity from Memphis Light, Gas and Water and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). However, SELC has claimed that xAI can now generate an equivalent amount of power as the entire TVA plant, resulting in substantial emissions that are currently unpermitted and unmonitored.

In a letter to the Shelby County Health Department, SELC expressed concerns that the turbines could emit between 1,200 and 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides each year, possibly making this facility the largest industrial emitter of NOx in Memphis. Moreover, these turbines produce formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and other toxins. SELC argues that given the scale of emissions from Colossus, the facility should be subject to a “major source permit” under the Clean Air Act.

Environmental Impact of Data Centers

Memphis locals are not alone in their worries about AI’s environmental effects. According to MIT News, the data centers that support generative AI applications like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Grok consume vast amounts of electricity, leading to increased carbon dioxide emissions and putting pressure on the electric grid. Such energy requirements could ultimately be reflected in consumer electricity bills, as seen in places like Georgia, where residents experienced monthly bills rising by about $200 due to local data centers.

Water Usage Concerns

Additionally, in an era marked by drought and shortages of fresh water, cooling data centers demands significant water resources. For instance, researchers discovered that every 100-word email generated by GPT-4 consumes the equivalent of a bottle of water.

Residents near the Memphis data center have voiced their struggles with air quality. Easter May Knox, a local resident, expressed her desire for clean air at a public hearing, saying, “When I open my window, I smell everything but clean air.”

Despite the serious issues raised about environmental harm, Brent Mayo, a representative from xAI, failed to attend a recent meeting of county commissioners where questions about the turbine operations were to be discussed.

The ongoing situation in Memphis serves as a poignant example of the complex relationship between technology, energy consumption, and environmental health.