SpaceX won’t remove all of xAI’s unpermitted turbines for another year

SpaceX says it will phase out xAI’s unpermitted gas turbines near Memphis by replacing them with a permanent natural gas power plant.

The current turbines will stay in service until the transition is complete, with full removal not expected until July 2027.

The equipment faces legal challenges from the NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center, while federal regulators say permits are required.

The dispute underscores the clash between AI data-center power needs and pollution concerns in one of the country’s most polluted regions.