xAI gets permits for 15 natural gas generators at Memphis data center

County regulators have approved permits for Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its data center near Memphis, despite ongoing legal challenges. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) alleges that xAI has been running up to 35 generators without proper permits, with a combined capacity of 421 megawatts. The SELC, representing the NAACP, has raised concerns about potential violations of the Clean Air Act. Under the newly issued permits, xAI is allowed to emit substantial pollution annually, including significant amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. The company is responsible for maintaining its own emissions records. Community groups funded an independent air quality study prior to the permit issuance, but the SELC criticized the methodology, noting that ozone levels were not measured and that testing was conducted under conditions that likely underestimated pollution exposure. Specifically, testing occurred