xai

Mar 11

Upcoming Public Hearing

July 2, 2025, the Shelby County Health Department announced it would grant xAI’s request for an air permit, allowing the company to run 15 polluting methane gas turbines at its South Memphis data center for the foreseeable future (SELC.org).

The Shelby County Health Department has scheduled the public hearing concerning xAI’s Methane Gas Turbine permit for December 15th at 9:30 AM , location will be University of Memphis - University Center (499 University Drive, Memphis, TN). xAI has received a permit to allow 15 methane gas turbines to pollute our air with tons of nitrogen oxide and formaldehyde for years to come. We hosted a press conference on December 8th to express our opposition and demand the rescinding of the previously granted permit.

About the Campaign

On June 5, 2024, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce held a press conference to announce that xAI, a tech startup owned by Elon Musk, intends to build the world’s largest supercomputer in Southwest Memphis at 3231 Paul Lowry Rd. It has been said that this “Gigafactory of Compute” will provide the computing power needed for AI searches and other forms of machine learning like self-driving cars. To accomplish this, xAI needs 150MW of energy – enough to power 100,000 homes and 1 to 1.5 million gallons of water per day to cool the supercomputer.

After being blindsided by the xAI news, MCAP and our partners Protect our Aquifer and Young Gifted & Green released a joint media statement raising concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding this deal and this project's potential environmental and public health impacts. It also appeared that our elected City and County officials, along with their constituents, had been left in the dark about this project. Since June of 2024 to the present, Memphis Community Against Pollution has hosted community meetings, participated in MLGW’s community meeting in Whitehaven and written to the Tennessee Valley Authority, Shelby County Health Department, Memphis, Light, Gas & Water, and Memphis Chamber to express our communities demands for inclusion and prudent environmental intentionality.

xAI Press

‘Nothing to celebrate’: Environmental justice advocate responds to recent xAI update, Action News May 6, 2025

“Musk Is Scamming the City of Memphis”: Meet Two Brothers Fighting Colossus, Musk’s xAI Data Center, Democracy Now April, 25, 2025

Elon Musk’s xAI powering its facility in Memphis with ‘illegal’ generators,The Guardian April 10, 2025

Elon Musk's AI factory causes controversy, DW, November 13, 2024

How Memphis became a battleground over Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer,
NPR, September 11, 2024

National, local leaders ask Health Department to investigate xAI facility,
Local Fox 13, August 27, 2024

MLGW answers customer questions on incoming xAI supercomputer facility, one advocacy group says other key stakeholders were missing,
Local ABC24, August 20, 2024

Permits not required for temporary xAI turbines,
Daily Memphian, August 10, 2024

Elon Musks New AI Data Center Raises Energy and Water Concerns In Memphis, Newsweek, August 9, 2024

In Memphis, an AI Supercomputer From Elon Musk Stirs Hope and Concern,
Bloomberg, July 25, 2024

Memphis leaders celebrate xAI but will its ‘burden’ go unchecked?,
MLK50, July 22, 2024