xAI Granted Permit for 15 Gas Turbines at Memphis Data Center Amid Legal Threats

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has received regulatory approval to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its Memphis-area data center, despite ongoing legal pressure from environmental groups. The Shelby County Health Department granted the permit under conditions that include emissions controls for the Solar SMT-130 generators, which are capable of producing up to 247 megawatts of electricity.

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), representing the NAACP, has threatened to sue xAI for previously operating up to 35 turbines without permits, in violation of the Clean Air Act. The permit allows significant pollutant emissions, including formaldehyde, NOx, and carbon monoxide, and places emissions monitoring responsibility on xAI. An independent air quality study has also been proposed by local community groups.