SpaceXAI agrees to remove 69 unpermitted gas turbines from Mississippi data center by 2027
SpaceXAI has agreed to remove all 69 unpermitted gas turbines from its Southaven, Mississippi data center by July 2027, after the NAACP alleged Clean Air Act violations and the U.S. House of Representatives demanded records.
SpaceXAI has agreed to remove all 69 unpermitted gas turbines from its Southaven, Mississippi data center by July 2027. The NAACP had alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. The U.S. House of Representatives has also demanded records related to the turbines.
SpaceXAI has agreed to remove all 69 unpermitted gas turbines from its data center in Southaven, Mississippi, with a deadline of July 2027. The company said it will replace the temporary turbines with fewer, permanent models as part of a new 1.2-gigawatt power plant being built for its Colossus data centers. The turbines, located at 2875 Stanton Road near the Colossus II site in Memphis, generate electricity for the facilities used to train and operate xAI’s Grok models. The NAACP filed a complaint in April alleging that 27 of the methane gas turbines violated the Clean Air Act, and the U.S. House of Representatives has demanded records related to the equipment. The removal timeline, extended from an original December 2026 deadline due to supply chain delays according to SpaceXAI, has been codified in an agreed order with Mississippi regulators. The case underscores growing federal and environmental scrutiny of the energy infrastructure powering large-scale AI operations.
SpaceXAI agrees to remove 69 unpermitted gas turbines by July 2027
SpaceXAI has committed to removing all 69 unpermitted gas turbines from its Southaven, Mississippi data center by July 2027, according to the company. The timeline was set through an agreed order with Mississippi regulators. The original removal deadline of December 2026 was extended due to supply chain delays, SpaceXAI said. The temporary mobile turbines are located at 2875 Stanton Road, near the Colossus II site across the state line in Memphis, Tennessee. SpaceXAI stated that it plans to begin removing the turbines as early as August, replacing them with fewer, permanent models by the July 2027 deadline.
NAACP complaint filed
Original removal deadline for all 69 turbines
Extended removal deadline for all 69 turbines
Planned start of removal of all 69 temporary mobile turbines
NAACP complaint and federal scrutiny over Clean Air Act violations
In April, the NAACP filed a complaint against xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech, according to the organisation. The complaint alleged that 27 methane gas turbines powering the Colossus 2 data center in Memphis violated the Clean Air Act. The U.S. House of Representatives has also demanded records related to the turbines, according to SpaceXAI. The NAACP accused SpaceXAI of violating the Clean Air Act, the company said.
The NAACP’s complaint centered on the 27 turbines operating at the Colossus 2 site, which the group said were installed without required permits. SpaceXAI has described the turbines as temporary and mobile. The company has started removing the gas turbines that were described as “illegal,” according to SpaceXAI. The U.S. House of Representatives has demanded records related to the turbines, according to SpaceXAI.
Permanent power plant planned to replace temporary turbines
SpaceXAI is building a new permanent power plant for its Colossus data centers. According to the company, the facility will have a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts. The Colossus sites are used to train and operate xAI’s Grok models.
The temporary gas turbines at 2875 Stanton Road, near the Colossus II site in Memphis, will be replaced with fewer permanent models by July 2027, SpaceXAI said. The company has described the current turbines as temporary mobile units that generate electricity to keep xAI and its customers online.
Removal timeline and next steps
SpaceXAI plans to begin removing all 69 temporary mobile turbines from the Southaven site as early as August, with full removal scheduled by July 2027. The company entered an agreed order with Mississippi regulators that codifies the removal timeline. According to SpaceXAI, the original deadline of December 2026 was extended due to supply chain delays. The company will replace the temporary units with fewer, permanent gas turbines at the same location.
Frequently asked questions
Why is SpaceXAI removing gas turbines from Southaven Mississippi?
SpaceXAI has agreed to remove all 69 unpermitted gas turbines from its Southaven, Mississippi data center. The removal deadline is July 2027. The original deadline was December 2026, but it was extended due to supply chain delays, according to SpaceXAI.
What did the NAACP say about SpaceXAI's gas turbines?
The NAACP accused SpaceXAI of violating the Clean Air Act. In April, the NAACP filed a complaint against xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech, alleging that 27 methane gas turbines powering the Colossus 2 data center were illegal, according to the NAACP.
When will SpaceXAI start removing the turbines?
SpaceXAI plans to start removing all 69 temporary mobile turbines as early as August. All temporary turbines will be removed by July 2027. The company will replace them with fewer, permanent models, according to SpaceXAI.
What is SpaceXAI building to replace the turbines?
SpaceXAI is building a new permanent power plant for the Colossus data centers. The new plant is expected to have a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts, according to SpaceXAI. The Southaven power site is located across the state line from Colossus 2 in Memphis.
Why does SpaceXAI need so much power at its data centers?
The Colossus facilities are used to train and operate xAI's Grok models, according to SpaceXAI. The gas-burning turbines generate electricity to keep xAI and its customers online, according to SpaceXAI.
Compiled from reporting by 9 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
