AI data centers are turning to converted aircraft jet engines to generate their own electricity as grid connection and turbine delays stretch for years. Driven by the urgent need for rapid power access, companies can spin up a data center in just 24 months using jet-powered units, bypassing grid connection timelines that can otherwise take up to seven years in regions like Northern Virginia.
Major players in the artificial intelligence sector are already adopting this workaround. Elon Musk’s xAI installed eight converted jet-engine turbines in Mississippi to power its Colossus 2 data center in Memphis, utilizing units built by ProEnergy from Boeing jet engines. Similarly, OpenAI and startup Crusoe deployed or ordered similar gas turbine units for AI data center sites in Texas, highlighting how severe infrastructure bottlenecks have forced the industry to adopt unconventional short-term power solutions.
These temporary power plants come with significant trade-offs, as converted jet engines are less efficient and create more pollution than turbines designed for conventional gas power plants. While the Trump administration currently encourages data centers to generate their own electricity, experts warn that environmental and efficiency concerns may soon limit the long-term viability of using aircraft engines for power generation.
Why it matters: Power supply shortages are threatening the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, forcing data center operators to embrace polluting short-term workarounds like jet engines to bypass grid delays.