Elon Musk’s xAI Secures Gas Turbine Permit for Memphis AI Facility Amid Environmental Protests

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, has obtained regulatory approval to operate 15 natural gas-fired turbines at its Memphis supercomputing facility. The Shelby County Health Department granted the permit on July 2, 2025, despite sustained community opposition over potential nitrogen dioxide emissions and public health concerns.

The energy infrastructure will power what xAI claims to be one of the nation’s largest AI data centers, housing approximately 200,000 GPUs that drive the Grok chatbot integrated with Musk’s X platform. Company representatives emphasize the installation will utilize advanced emissions control technology, positioning it as the cleanest facility of its kind in the United States.

The decision follows xAI’s recent $10 billion funding round, underscoring the intensifying competition in AI infrastructure development. Local activists continue to voice concerns about the environmental impact, while industry observers note the facility’s strategic importance in the escalating AI arms race.