Latest / Chips, compute and energy
NAACP sues xAI over unpermitted gas turbines powering its Colossus 2 data centre
See how this story connectsThe NAACP and its Mississippi State Conference sued xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech on 14 April 2026 under the Clean Air Act, saying the companies run 27 gas turbines without an air permit in Southaven, Mississippi, to power the Colossus 2 data centre in Memphis that serves Grok. The Southern Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice represent the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs say the plant could emit more than 1,700 tons a year of nitrogen oxides and would likely be the largest industrial source in the Memphis area, which already fails national smog standards.
Why it matters
A court is asked to stop an AI company from running its own unpermitted power plant for a data centre, in an area that already misses federal smog limits.
- When
- 14 Apr 2026
- ID
WTA-N-2026-0484- Where
- United States, Mississippi
- Who
- NAACP, xAI, MZX Tech, Southern Environmental Law Center, Earthjustice; Abre’ Conner
- Authority
- NAACP (plaintiff, Clean Air Act citizen suit)
- Target
- xAI and MZX Tech
- Action
- federal suit over unpermitted gas turbines
- Status
- open · Enforcement ledger
Summary written with AI by wheresthe.ai, from Southern Environmental Law Center and the reporting credited above. Checked against the source on 29 Oct 2026.
Source copy: saved on 29 Oct 2026 to check this story and not republished, because the text belongs to its publisher. Also held by the Internet Archive.
Cite this story
WTA-N-2026-0484: “NAACP sues xAI over unpermitted gas turbines powering its Colossus 2 data centre.” wheresthe.ai, 14 Apr 2026. https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-naacp-sues-xai-over-unpermitted-gas-turbines-in-southaven-2026-04/ (source: Southern Environmental Law Center).
Spotted an error? Email [email protected].