xAI Mississippi Data Center Gas Turbine Power Plant

operational with legal challenge

xAI is operating roughly 50 natural gas turbines to power its Mississippi data center. The turbines are mounted on flatbed trailers and classified as temporary mobile sources by Mississippi regulators, exempting them from air pollution controls for one year. Environmental groups argue that this setup functions as a permanent power plant supplying xAI's AI computing infrastructure. The NAACP has sued on behalf of local residents seeking a court injunction to curtail or reconfigure operations, citing federal rules that allow trailer-mounted power plants to be regulated as stationary sources. The project has expanded to 46 turbines running, with permits granted for only 15, indicating a long-term facility with regulatory and operational risks.