SpaceXAI has cut the cord on 11 of its turbines being used to power a $20 billion data center in Southaven.
The move comes after SpaceXAI reached an agreement with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to begin the process of removing the 69 turbines powering the center. Once the turbines are gone, with that process expected to wrap up by next July, the company will rely on a permanent 1.2 GW power plant it is constructing with clearance from a Clean Air Act permit.
“We’re committed to responsibly powering our supercomputers while minimizing the impact on our surrounding communities,” an official statement from SpaceXAI reads. “Our mobile turbines use advanced emission control technology and current monitoring shows local air quality meets or exceeds EPA standards.”
The data center and its turbines have been the subjects of public outcry with local residents suing SpaceXAI over alleged noise disruptions. The NAACP sued over potential environmental and public health ramifications the data center and power plant could yield, though the Justice Department has sought to have that lawsuit dismissed.
In the interim, SpaceXAI is seemingly addressing complaints about its presence in North Mississippi. Company officials said they are equipping the mobile turbines with advanced technology to reduce any environmental impact, while simultaneously monitoring the air quality to avoid exceeding EPA standards.
SpaceXAI officials have also announced that the company is investing millions of dollars in sound walls, silencers, and turbines with advanced quieting technology to minimize noise. This is pertinent because the power plant being constructed will have 41 permanent turbines.
“We care deeply about being good neighbors and we regularly reconfigure power operations to reduce noise from the facility and minimize our impact on the local Southaven community,” company officials stated.