Crusoe, an AI data center startup headquartered in Denver that recently secured $3.9 billion in funding, has canceled its plans to utilize a new series of stationary power plants created by another Denver firm, Boom Supersonic.
Established in 2018 initially as a bitcoin mining operation leveraging surplus natural gas from oil extraction sites, Crusoe has evolved into one of the leading constructors of AI data centers, including a substantial facility in Abilene, Texas, which provides computational resources to OpenAI.
Boom Supersonic, currently developing a supersonic passenger aircraft named Overture, initiated a new venture last year aimed at marketing a variant of the engine it’s creating for that aircraft as natural gas-fired stationary power plants. Its Superpower turbine contains approximately 80% of the same components as its aerial engine, referred to as Symphony.
Crusoe had committed to being the inaugural customer for this new venture, agreeing to invest $1.25 billion in 29 of Boom’s 42-megawatt Superpower turbines. The initial shipments were expected to start in 2027. However, this agreement has since collapsed, as reported by Boom Supersonic’s CEO, Blake Scholl.
On Friday, in a post on X, after extending congratulations to Crusoe founders Cully Cavness and Chase Lochmiller on the company’s recent funding, Scholl announced that the companies would no longer proceed with the turbine launch collaboration. He did mention that other clients remain in the pipeline.

“Boom will be providing around 250MW of Superpowers to other locations next year, and we aim for 1GW by 2028,” Scholl wrote. “We appreciate the guidance Crusoe offered in shaping Superpower and continue to support their achievements. The future is long, and we are eager to potentially collaborate if and when turbines are integrated into their main power portfolio.”
Scholl’s original post included a statement he later deleted: “The TL/DR is that turbines are no longer part of Crusoe’s immediate primary power strategy at Abilene/etc., hence a launch partnership simply wasn’t viable.” Crusoe representative Andrew Schmitt later informed us that the company’s energy strategy “remains unchanged” and that they still intend to utilize turbines, “just not Boom’s.”
“We construct AI factories beginning with the power source, and we’re initializing new campuses nationwide, fueled by cutting-edge energy solutions,” Andrew Schmitt stated in an email. “As our portfolio expands, we maintain adaptability, selecting energy solutions that are most suitable for each facility as its requirements change — including turbines, as well as wind, solar, batteries, and the grid. While Boom has been a commendable partner, the collaboration isn’t the right fit at this moment. We wish them success.”
Crusoe’s initial 1.2 gigawatt data center in Abilene, constructed for Oracle and OpenAI, is powered by the electrical grid, as stated by the company. There is also a gas-turbine power facility that serves merely as backup power. Crusoe is in the process of developing a 900 megawatt data center in Abilene for Microsoft, which will rely on on-site gas turbines for power.
Losing its initial customer appears to be a setback for Boom, which secured $300 million last year mainly to commercialize this new venture. The plan, Scholl informed TechCrunch previously, was to utilize profits from the stationary power plant sector to finance the development of Overture.
Scholl could not be contacted for comment prior to publication; TechCrunch will refresh this article should he respond.
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