Techub News, citing CryptoBriefing, reported that at least 57 off-grid natural gas projects in the United States are supplying power to AI data centers. The projects have a combined installed capacity of 73 gigawatts. According to the report, many of these facilities have largely bypassed public oversight and environmental review, creating concerns among environmental groups and communities near the sites.
The report specifically noted xAI’s Colossus 2 site, which is equipped with 27 gas turbines. The site emits more than 1,700 tons of nitrogen oxides and other pollutants each year. In April this year, the Southern Environmental Law Center and other organizations filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down xAI’s operations in Mississippi. The legal action focuses on environmental and health issues connected to the company’s operations at the site.
The article also distinguished these facilities from emergency diesel generators. Unlike backup generators that are used in limited situations, the off-grid natural gas facilities described in the report operate continuously to power data centers. At least 11 similar projects may emit more than 129 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, while also creating health risks for surrounding communities. As AI data centers demand large amounts of electricity, these off-grid gas power projects have become a policy and environmental regulation issue in the United States.