tech
March 10, 2026
Musk’s xAI wins permit for datacenter’s makeshift power plant despite backlash
Billionaire’s artificial intelligence company gets approval to run 41 methane gas turbines at its ‘Colossus 2’ in Mississippi
TL;DR
- xAI's "Colossus 2" datacenter in northern Mississippi has been approved to run 41 methane gas turbines, nearly doubling its operational capacity.
- The turbines are intended to power xAI's AI supercomputers, which support the AI tool Grok.
- The decision by the Mississippi department of environmental quality (MDEQ) faces significant public opposition due to concerns over hazardous air pollution.
- Residents and environmental advocates, including the NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center, criticize the MDEQ for allegedly rushing the decision and disregarding community concerns.
- Similar opposition was met at xAI's first datacenter in Memphis, Tennessee, where regulators granted a permit for 15 gas generators.
- The gas generators emit fine particulate matter containing hazardous chemicals linked to various diseases.
- The Southern Environmental Law Center anticipates the 41 turbines will make Colossus 2 a major fossil fuel power plant and polluter in Mississippi.
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