Mississippi regulators approved a permit Tuesday for a power plant proposed by Elon Musk’s xAI, allowing the artificial intelligence company to operate 41 natural gas turbines in Southaven, despite ongoing concerns about pollution and community impact. The decision, made by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), authorizes the construction and operation of the plant, intended to power xAI’s nearby data centers, including the “Colossus 2” facility.
The approval comes after months of opposition from civil rights and environmental groups, who argued the plant would disproportionately affect residents of Southaven and neighboring Memphis, Tennessee. The NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) had requested a delay in the MDEQ meeting, citing a conflict with the state’s primary election, but their request was denied. Abre’ Conner, director of environmental and climate justice at NAACP, stated the MDEQ “chose to bulldoze through a decision that silenced the incredibly residents most harmed by it.”
xAI, recently merged with SpaceX, has been utilizing over a dozen temporary turbines at the Southaven facility for months, maintaining that no federal permit was required for their operation. The company plans to use the 41 permanent turbines to generate 1.2 gigawatts of power for its data centers, which house the AI supercomputers powering its Grok chatbot. The scale of the proposed plant has raised concerns about its potential to become one of the largest fossil fuel plants in the state.
Critics argue the MDEQ permit contains “serious flaws” that violate federal law and agency policies. The NAACP and SELC allege the agency was pressured to expedite the permit approval, citing internal documents indicating a push for a swift decision. They also point to the fact that xAI is already operating unpermitted turbines at the site, potentially violating the Clean Air Act.
Residents have reported experiencing noise and air quality issues since xAI began operating the temporary turbines. At a public hearing held last month, hundreds of people voiced their concerns about the project’s impact on the community, with no one speaking in favor of granting the permit, according to reports. The turbines are expected to release significant amounts of pollutants, including particulate matter and chemicals like formaldehyde, potentially exacerbating respiratory problems and increasing the risk of cardiovascular issues.
Patrick Anderson, lead attorney for the SELC, expressed disappointment with the MDEQ’s decision, stating it failed to adequately address concerns about the impact of the additional turbines on communities in Mississippi and Tennessee. The MDEQ spokesperson, Jan Schaefer, stated the permit was approved “after careful consideration of all public comments and community concerns.”
As of Wednesday, the EPA had not issued a statement regarding the MDEQ’s decision. The NAACP and SELC have not announced plans for further legal challenges, but continue to advocate for stricter environmental regulations and greater community involvement in permitting processes.
