‘A different set of rules’: Thermal drone footage shows Musk’s AI power plant flouts clean air rules

By: Evan Simon

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: February 16, 2026

Words: 1,502

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 5 days ago

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This story is from Floodlight, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action, and produced in partnership with The Guardian. Sign up for Floodlight’s newsletter here.

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is continuing to fuel its data centers with unpermitted gas turbines, according to a Floodlight visual investigation. Thermal drone footage shows xAI is still burning gas at a facility in Southaven, Miss., despite a recent Environmental Protection Agency …

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