Mississippi Regulators to Vote on xAI Power Plant Amid Election Day Controversy

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will hold a critical vote this Tuesday on whether to grant permits for a major natural-gas power plant proposed by Elon Musk's xAI in Southaven. The timing has sparked a dispute, as the meeting coincides with primary elections for the 2026 midterms.

Civil rights and environmental groups, led by the NAACP, unsuccessfully petitioned the MDEQ to reschedule the hearing. They argued that holding it on Election Day, and in Jackson - a three-hour drive from the affected community - effectively silences local residents. In a March 8 letter made public Monday, the NAACP called the arrangement a civic and financial burden for Black and low-income neighborhoods near the site.

The MDEQ declined, stating its permit board has met on the second Tuesday of each month for decades and considers issues on a statewide basis.

The proposed plant would power a large data center complex, part of xAI's push to compete in the generative AI sector. The company recently merged with SpaceX, valuing the combined entity at $1.25 trillion. AI operations demand immense electricity, prompting tech firms, including xAI in a recent White House meeting, to pledge they will supply their own power.

Local opposition is strong. At a February public hearing in Southaven, about 200 residents, including doctors and teachers, urged officials to reject the project, citing concerns over noise, air quality, and a lack of transparency. A mother of three told officials her family was "slowly falling out of love" with the area due to pollution.

The NAACP has filed a notice of intent to sue xAI over alleged Clean Air Act violations. Research from the University of Tennessee indicates the company's use of temporary gas turbines in the region has already worsened air pollution. An investigation by Floodlight found xAI operating over a dozen such turbines in Southaven.

The regulatory decision comes as community pushback and environmental rules lead some in the tech industry to consider more remote locations, even in space, for future data centers.

Source: CNBC