Thermal Drone Footage Shows Musk's AI Power Plant Flouting Clean Air Rules

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Thermal drone footage shows Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI is operating more than a dozen unpermitted gas-fired turbines at its Southaven, Mississippi data center, despite a recent EPA ruling that such generators require a state permit. Experts say this violates the Clean Air Act, and the facility's emissions could pose health risks to nearby residents and schools.

Why it matters

The clash over the turbines highlights a broader regulatory gap as AI-driven data centers expand rapidly, with state interpretations of federal rules sometimes creating loopholes that allow large-scale emissions to continue unchecked, raising stakes for community health and future enforcement actions.

The details

The EPA has ruled that the gas-fired turbines used to power xAI's data center require a state permit under the Clean Air Act, warning that any exemption could leave the engines without emission standards. However, Mississippi regulators argue the turbines, mounted on tractor trailers, are exempt from permitting. Thermal images show more than a dozen unpermitted turbines still operating at the Southaven facility nearly two weeks after the EPA's ruling, which experts say is a violation of the law.

• The EPA issued its final ruling on the turbine permitting requirement in January 2026.
• Thermal drone footage was captured by Floodlight newsroom in early February 2026, nearly two weeks after the EPA's ruling.

What they’re saying

What’s next

A public hearing on xAI's permit application to operate 41 turbines at the Southaven site is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The open public comment period will likely shape whether the expansion proceeds.