Mississippi Regulators Approve xAI Gas Plant, Sparking Community Outcry

Mississippi regulators have granted Elon Musk's artificial intelligence firm, xAI, a permit to construct a 41-turbine natural gas power plant in Southaven. The facility is intended to supply electricity to the company's expanding data center operations in the Memphis area.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) approved the permit on Tuesday. Agency spokesperson Jan Schaefer stated the decision followed "careful consideration" of public input. The vote proceeded despite requests from the NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) to delay the hearing, which coincided with state primary elections.

"MDEQ chose to bulldoze through a decision that silenced the very residents most harmed by it," said Abre' Conner of the NAACP. Community groups have protested for months, citing concerns over air pollution and persistent noise from temporary turbines already in use at the site.

The approved plant would support xAI's local AI infrastructure. The company, now part of SpaceX, also plans a new data center in a former warehouse nearby. Opponents argue the permit application understates emissions of nitrogen oxides and other harmful pollutants, and that the company avoided proper environmental review and community engagement.

"The permit... has a number of serious flaws that violate federal law," the NAACP and SELC said in a joint statement, announcing plans to sue over the existing turbine use. A senior SELC attorney accused regulators of prioritizing business interests over community health.

MDEQ maintains the permit meets all legal requirements. xAI did not respond to requests for comment.

Source: CNBC