Citizens of Memphis have been blindsided by the news of Elon Musk’s ever-expanding xAI super computer facilities now named "Colossus" and "Colossus 2" being built in South Memphis. 

On August 18, 2026, Memphis City Council members approved the first reading of a moratorium on data centers. We have two more readings of this ordinance before they make the decision. Sign the petition today and let the Memphis City Council know that the moratorium on data centers has your support!!

     South Memphians have been repeatedly called “the path of least resistance” to excuse unethical corporations moving into the neighborhood and destroying the ecosystem. xAI seems to be our next battle against massive air pollution, strategic corporate land-grabbing, and the corruption of public offices that are selling out our community for personal profit.

Here’s what we know:

• There are two datacenters currently being constructed in South Memphis: "Colossus" on 3231 Paul R. Lowry Rd/ 3231 Riverport Rd Memphis, TN 38109 and "Colossus 2" on 5420 Tulane Rd Memphis, TN 38109
• CTC Property LLC, based out of Nashville, is an affiliate of xAI and seems to manage the company's real estate and legal matters. CTC Property LLC was incorporated in Tennessee in March 2024
• Colossus xAI facility is currently under construction and is expanding after purchasing 1-million square foot property in Southwest Memphis. Reported in May 2025, xAI has expanded to Whitehaven to launch Colossus 2.
• MLGW and TVA does not have the infrastructure to support such a high energy demand business venture. xAI is aware of this, and has opted to install 35 smog-emitting gas turbines illegally on the Colossus site to bypass these limitations.
• The Southern Environmental Law Center has found that, after analyzing relevant laws (including Shelby County Health Department's own regulations,) these turbines required pre-construction permits, and that xAI is operating their smog-emitting gas turbines illegally.
•  According to the findings of Southern Environmental Law Center, the 35 smog-emitting gas turbines emit massive amounts of smog-forming nitrous oxides and formaldehyde, violating critical limits on Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs). HAPS are pollutants listed by Congress and EPA as carcinogenic and/or toxic even in very small quantities.
• “xAI appears to be preparing for a truly staggering number of polluting turbines for its second South Memphis data center, all while continuing to run unpermitted turbines nearby,” Amanda Garcia, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, said in regard to Colossus 2.
• The Greater Memphis Chamber (of commerce), communications liaison for xAI, assures us citizens that these illegal gas turbines are only to be used until the completion of a new MLGW electric substation estimated to be fall 2025, yet does not comment on the illegal business practices of xAI
• xAI is in violation of the Clean Air Act. While xAI may have plans to use other sources of power, these plans do NOT negate the illegal business practices and major pollution of this company.
  The xAI facilities are prospected to be using 5.7 million gallons a day of Memphis’ clean water
• Colossus xAI went fully operational in December 2024, using 150 milliwatts of power at peak (enough energy to power roughly 80,000 households)
• Colossus xAI is expected to require at least 1,000 milliwatts of power or 1 gigawatt
• Mayor Young has gone on record during a community meeting regarding xAI's illegal smog-emitting gas turbines to spread false statements on the actual number of turbines in use.
• Public officials, such as Mayor Young, have signed Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs) with xAI.
• Public officials from the Shelby County Health Department have covered up xAI's use of illegal turbines and denied responsibility to hold xAI legally accountable. 
• Elon Musk has a long history of failing businesses, safety violation coverups, work place injuries, racism, and fraud. Learn more here.​ More information.

      Not only is Memphis’ famous aquifer at stake, but so our air quality.  Our city is simply unequipped to accommodate the xAI facility’s massive need for energy and water. xAI has taken this issue into their own hands by violating the law to reach their energy demands. Below is a breakdown of the math, as published by cleanenergy.org

"The Math is Simple -- and Alarming

100,000 - the number of GPUs previously proposed by xAI

150 MW - the electric energy that would be needed to operate this facility

150 x 10 = 1,000 to 1,500 MW (1.5 GW) - the electric energy presumably needed to operate a facility at this scale. This depends on GPUs, configuration, cooling, etc.

Again -- this is 1/3 of the current peak demand of the city of Memphis, further stressing an already stressed MLGW system in a city that has routinely experienced the highest energy burden of any metro area in the United States"

Read the full article here.

     When our power grid inevitably fails and we can no longer enjoy the beautiful nature of our city due to massive amounts of air pollution, the citizens of Memphis will be left to deal with the consequences— not Elon Musk. It is our responsibility as citizens of Memphis to stop this facility from being constructed. Just like we were able to stop the Byhalia Pipeline from ripping apart South Memphis, together we can make it known to Musk that we are not his emerald mine to be exploited. 

     We must ask ourselves, why do these companies always come to exploit Memphis? Why not Gatlinburg, or Chattanooga? Why must our environment and resources be sabotaged only to receive a dime of the millions of dollars of profits?