AI data centers turn to converted jet engines as power delays tighten supply

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AI data centers are deploying retired aircraft engines converted to burn natural gas, cutting electricity deployment time to 24 months versus seven years for grid connections in regions like Northern Virginia.
Microsoft exited Nscale's Loughton data center project after power supply delays, and xAI installed eight converted jet turbines in Mississippi, while Crusoe ordered 13 ProEnergy units for OpenAI's Abilene site.
Converted jet engines supply power faster but are less efficient and more polluting than standard turbines, indicating their likely use as a short-term solution amid environmental concerns.

Power bottlenecks reshape data center buildouts

As reported by TechCrunch, citing The New York Times, some AI data centers are using retired aircraft engines that have been rebuilt to burn natural gas because they can be deployed much faster than grid connections or newly manufactured turbines.

Rystad Energy analyst Audun Martinsen tells the Times that the priority is securing electricity as quickly as possible, with jet-powered units allowing a data center to start operating in about 24 months. By comparison, connecting 100 megawatts to the grid in Northern Virginia takes about seven years, according to the International Energy Agency.

Supply constraints extend beyond grid links. Bloomberg reported last week that an executive at Mitsubishi Power said most new power capacity is expected to come online by 2031, underlining how equipment availability is also lagging demand from the AI sector.

Operators weigh speed against efficiency and emissions

Power delays are already affecting project economics and customer decisions. Last month, Microsoft withdrew as the anchor customer for Nscale's data center in Loughton, England, after the local utility said it could not provide enough electricity until the early-to-mid 2030s.

xAI is among the companies already using the converted engines, with eight such turbines installed in Mississippi to help supply its Colossus 2 data center in Memphis, according to the Times, which cites state permits and satellite imagery. The units are supplied by ProEnergy, which rebuilds a GE engine commonly used on Boeing aircraft.

The approach is spreading to other AI infrastructure projects. In 2025, OpenAI used gas turbines at its first Stargate site in Abilene, Texas, and Crusoe, the Denver-based company building that campus, ordered 13 converted units from ProEnergy in April.

The temporary solution carries clear drawbacks. The Times says converted jet engines are less efficient, generate more pollution than turbines built for standard gas plants, and require more units to produce the same level of power, suggesting they may remain a short-term option as environmental and efficiency pressures increase.

Our earlier article on the mounting hurdles for U.S. AI data center expansion explained that many large projects are being delayed or deemed unrealistic as financing costs rise and timelines slip. We also noted that power limitations and local pushback are becoming a major bottleneck, increasing pressure on developers to secure reliable electricity and keep investors confident.

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