AI data centers reportedly turn to converted jet engines for power
AI data centers are installing converted jet engines to generate electricity faster than waiting for grid connections, the New York Times reported. Retired aircraft engines rebuilt to burn natural gas can be operational in about 24 months, whereas hooking up 100 megawatts to the grid in Northern Virginia takes roughly seven years, according to the International Energy Agency.
Key points
- AI data centers are installing converted jet engines to generate electricity faster than grid connections
- xAI installed eight engines in Mississippi; Crusoe ordered 13 units for Texas after abandoning a $1.25 billion turbine deal
- Experts say converted engines are less efficient, pollute more, and may face stricter environmental rules soon
Elon Musk’s xAI has installed eight of these turbines in Mississippi for its Colossus 2 data center, and Denver‑based Crusoe ordered 13 units for a new campus in Abilene, Texas, after walking away from a $1.25 billion deal with Boom Supersonic. Microsoft recently pulled out as the anchor customer for Nscale’s data center in England after the local utility said power wouldn’t be available until the early‑to‑mid 2030s. The Trump administration is encouraging data centers to generate their own electricity, but experts warn the converted engines are less efficient, pollute more, and could face tighter environmental scrutiny within a year or two.
Data centers are turning to old jet engines as the wait for power grows
TechCrunch AI · 3 November 2026
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