XAI, Ilan Musk’s Artificial Intelligence Startup, plans to use 15 gas turbines to supply Colossus computers in Memphis, Tennessee. According to a license issued by the Shelby County Health Department, these turbines can be active from June 2025 to June 2030, but there are concerns about their pollution.
The activity of turbines has raised many concerns, especially in the field of environmental issues. According to Commercial Appeal, 20 -year -old turbines used to launch XAI supercomputers publish air pollutants including formaldehyde and other dangerous substances in high values.
Each turbine releases 11.51 tonnes of dangerous pollutants annually, exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) per source (10 tons per year). Interestingly, these turbines have been operating since the summer of 2024 without public information and environmental supervision.
Lack of transparency and monitoring of XAI activities
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According to Eric Hill, a spokesman for the Southern Environmental Law Center, the move is one of the examples of the lack of transparency with the community and local authorities. So far, there has been no environmental supervision and evaluation for these turbines and they have raised serious concerns about general health and air quality. About 22,000 people are reportedly 5 miles and are exposed to these pollutants.
The Shelby County Health Office has announced that the issued licenses have not yet been approved and there is no specific timeline to approve them. This is still a vague point in the future of the project and its impact on the environment and public health.
RCO NEWS