MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Progress is happening at Elon Musk’s second xAI facility in Memphis.
The company says that its supercomputer, ‘Colussus 2,’ which is located in Whitehaven, will be powered up in the next few weeks.
This comes as criticism and support grow over the project.
xAI is expanding its presence in the City of Memphis. As the company prepares to power up its second supercomputer in the coming weeks.
Those who are involved with the project say ‘Colussus 2,’ which is in Whitehaven, will be similar to the ‘Colussus’ site in Boxtown.
While xAI has received support from some state and city leaders, there has been pushback from people who live in the Whitehaven community.
“We don’t need the pollution and everything, you know, down here. And I don’t think it should be done. You know? Go somewhere else,” said a Whitehaven resident. “We live in this vicinity, so what are we supposed to do? Slowly die? We have kids to live for.”
There have been pollution concerns about the xAI sites in Boxtown and Whitehaven; however, recent independent air quality tests did not detect dangerous levels of air pollutants in either of those areas.
However, the Southern Environmental Law Center says the tests were flawed because they did not measure ozone pollution.
This month, a group of environmental advocates appealed the Shelby County Health Department’s decision to allow xAI to operate 15 gas turbines as secondary emergency power backups.
Amid the debate, Mayor Paul Young says xAI will bring significant economic benefits to the City of Memphis.
Some Whitehaven residents applaud that possibility, while others tell WREG that they’re skeptical.
“Anything that’s done that’s going to bring money, good,” said another Whitehaven resident. “So, I think, yeah, Elon Musk, distribute us a check, so we can get up out of here then, and you can do what you got to do and make it better and a safer place for all of us.”
WREG has learned that xAI purchased the former Duke Energy site in Southaven. Records show the company plans to utilize it by operating and maintaining transmission lines and other facilities for its Whitehaven property.
WREG reached out to Southaven’s Mayor for comment and has not heard back.