Memphis: 12 sites, 9 operators, 620 MW under construction

• 18 Aug 2026Moratorium

  Memphis City Council passes data center moratorium on first reading

  On August 18, 2026, the Memphis City Council passed a temporary moratorium ordinance on first reading, suspending acceptance and approval of zoning, land use, and construction permits for data centers within Memphis. The 12-month ban—which may be amended to 3 months in later readings—aims to give the city time to assess infrastructure and environmental impacts of hyperscale facilities like SpaceXAI's Colossus and Colossus 2. The action follows two years of resident opposition to rapid data center expansion and lack of community consultation, though the Greater Memphis Chamber opposes the moratorium, citing the city's competitive advantages in power, water, and logistics.

• 31 Jul 2026Announced

  Musk confirms fourth SpaceX–AI data centre in Memphis; company removes gas turbines

  Elon Musk confirmed a fourth SpaceX–AI data centre in Memphis. The company has begun removing gas turbines that it characterizes as illegal.

• 23 Jul 2026Expansion

  SpaceX AI plans large-scale data center expansion in Texas

  SpaceX AI is expanding its AI infrastructure footprint by planning at least one large-scale data center in Texas, beyond its existing Memphis facility. The company has evaluated multiple Texas sites, relocated data center staff to the state, and posted relevant job openings. This move positions SpaceX AI to strengthen its position as a major AI infrastructure provider.

• 17 Jul 2026Partnership$1B

  SpaceX negotiates multi-billion dollar AI compute supply deal with US Pentagon

  SpaceX is in negotiations with the US Department of Defense to supply cloud computing capacity in a potential multi-billion dollar agreement, marking the largest commercial collaboration between the two parties. The deal would position SpaceX as a competitor to Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle in the defense AI compute market. SpaceX has already signed similar compute supply agreements with Anthropic and Google, and is rapidly expanding its data center infrastructure, including a large facility in Memphis. The negotiations highlight growing concerns among US national security officials about Pentagon over-reliance on Musk-led companies.

• 30 Jun 2026Incentive program

  Starlink Offers Discount Near Controversial xAI Data Center

  Starlink is offering a significant discount on its satellite internet service to residents near SpaceX's AI data center in Memphis, Tennessee. This unusual deal aims to address community complaints and lawsuits surrounding the facility.

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