Overview

• xAI's Memphis data center operates 35 mobile gas turbines, emitting an estimated 1,000–2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides annually, making it one of the city's largest NOx sources.
• The company is seeking air-quality permits for the turbines, which have been running without Clean Air Act compliance for months.
• Residents in nearby Boxtown, a predominantly Black neighborhood with high asthma rates, report worsening respiratory issues and call for stricter regulation.
• The EPA recently clarified rules allowing mobile gas and diesel units for data centers, reflecting broader industry reliance on temporary fossil-fuel power due to grid delays.
• Federal legislation, the proposed Clean Cloud Act, aims to set emissions standards for data centers but faces uncertain prospects in a divided Congress.