Retired Aircraft Jet Engines Repurposed to Generate Electricity for AI Data Centres

Staff Reporter | PNN

Some artificial intelligence (AI) data centres are turning to alternative power generation solutions because of lengthy waits for electricity grid connections and delays in the delivery of new turbines.

Retired aircraft jet engines are being refurbished and converted to run on natural gas to generate electricity for these facilities.

The development was highlighted in a report published by The New York Times on Tuesday.

These engines are not considered ideal alternatives to conventional permanent power plants. However, the initiative highlights how far electricity supply infrastructure is falling behind the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.

For companies waiting for grid connections, one of the major advantages of converted jet engines is that they can be brought into operation relatively quickly.

Audun Martinsen, an analyst at energy research firm Rystad Energy, told The New York Times that obtaining electricity quickly had become the most important priority.

According to him, using jet engine-based power generation units could allow data centres to become operational within approximately 24 months.

In contrast, according to the International Energy Agency, obtaining a 100-megawatt electricity connection from the national grid in Northern Virginia, United States, could take approximately seven years.

Bloomberg, citing an executive at Mitsubishi Power, a manufacturer of power generation equipment, reported that rising demand for gas turbines could make it difficult to obtain most new production capacity before 2031.

Delays in electricity supply have already begun affecting the business plans of some data centre projects.

Last month, Microsoft withdrew as the main customer for a data centre project in Loughton, United Kingdom.

The local electricity supplier had reportedly informed the project that it would be unable to provide sufficient electricity before the early 2030s.

Elon Musk's AI company xAI is among the organisations using jet engine-based electricity generation systems.

According to The New York Times, the company has installed eight converted jet engine turbines in Mississippi.

These units are helping supply electricity to its Colossus 2 data centre in Memphis.

The newspaper reported the development based on state government permits and satellite imagery.

The engines were supplied by ProEnergy, which refurbishes a GE engine previously used in Boeing aircraft.

In 2025, OpenAI took steps to use gas turbines for its first Stargate project in Abilene, Texas.

The campus is being constructed by Denver-based startup Crusoe.

In April this year, the company placed an order with ProEnergy for 13 converted units.

However, in September, Crusoe withdrew from a $1.25 billion agreement to purchase 29 natural gas turbines from Boom Supersonic, a company developing supersonic passenger aircraft.

At the time, the company said it would nevertheless continue with its plans to use turbines.

Meanwhile, the administration of US President Donald Trump is encouraging data centres to generate their own electricity.

However, the use of converted jet engines also comes with limitations.

According to The New York Times, these engines are less efficient and produce more pollution than turbines specifically designed for conventional gas-fired power plants.

They also require more units to generate the same amount of electricity.

Some experts believe that converted jet engines could serve as an effective temporary solution to meet the immediate demand for electricity.

However, concerns over efficiency and environmental impacts could reduce the attractiveness of this approach if they become more prominent over the next one or two years.