MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board voted to approve 150 megawatts for the new xAI facility in Memphis during a meeting Thursday, Nov. 7.
During the board meeting, TVA officials noted concerns about environmental harms and xAI leaders' willingness to construct a water treatment facility to reduce such harms and protect Memphis' water. The additional power request came from Memphis, Light, Gas & Water (MLGW).
Still, Memphis community members have expressed worry.
“The ongoing policy violence that allows xAI to continue the consistent damaging of our lungs in Southwest Memphis is immoral, we deserve clean air, not silent strangulation,” KeShaun Pearson, President of Memphis Community Against Pollution, said. “The TVA board must do its job to sustainably serve its community and study the environmental implications of giving xAI an additional 150 megawatts of power in an already energy burdened & over polluted community of people whose lives have been sacrificed for generations.”
A TVA spokesperson released the following statement on behalf of the company:
“Part of TVA’s core mission is to work with partners to bring investment and jobs to communities across our region. In every case, we carefully review the details of each company’s proposal and the associated electricity demand needs. These partnerships include maximizing demand response opportunities, which support system flexibility when peak demand gets high. We appreciate MLGW’s partnership. We are committed to providing all customers with affordable, reliable energy.”
XAI will be expanding the size of its AI training facility and supercomputer on 3231 Paul R Lowry Road in the coming months, after the Greater Memphis Chamber announced the approval of a land lease on Oct. 4.
The expansion was announced 122 days after the initial announcement of xAI’s AI training facility and supercomputer, Colossus on Jun. 5, 2024. The xAI facility was initially announced on Jun. 5, 2025, and was said to be the world's most powerful AI training system upon completion. xAI’s introduction to Memphis is the largest multi-billion-dollar capital investment in Memphis’ history, according to Ted Townsend, President and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber.
The company has also been bringing stability to the city’s power grid, providing megapacks and has worked to preserve drinking water in the area with the construction of the world’s largest ceramic membrane greywater facility, according to officials.
