MEMPHIS, Tenn. — People who live in the Boxtown community have concerns after the Shelby County Health Department gave xAI the green light to operate 15 natural gas turbines.

Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer project has sparked an ongoing debate in the city of Memphis. On Wednesday, the Shelby County Health Department approved xAI’s permit to operate 15 natural gas turbines as secondary emergency power backups.

State Representative Justin Pearson has said the turbines will create more pollution and health risks in the Boxtown community.

WREG spoke to a Boxtown resident who says she has similar concerns.

“I don’t have a problem with [xAI]. It’s just the gas turbines,” Alexis Humphries said. “You know, you can have your business, but we don’t need the gas turbines if it’s going to be causing us to have health issues.”

  • “I don’t have a problem with [xAI]. It’s just the gas turbines,” said Boxtown resident Alexis Humphries.

However, Ted Townsend, with the Greater Memphis Chamber, says the turbines are considered one of the cleanest backup power solutions because they exceed federal environmental standards.

Although there is support for xAI and its operations, people who live in Boxtown tell WREG they don’t feel like their voices are being heard.

“They don’t feel concerned about us, you know,” Humphries said. “It is like, we’re fighting and got people putting their comments in to tell them, you know, that we don’t feel like it’s safe for us. They know it’s not safe, but they don’t care.”

Humphries says the smells of gas and wastewater near the xAI facility are also concerning.

In a statement released last month, Mayor Paul Young said he’s aware of the concerns, which is why he’s coordinated with independent environmental consultants to address them.

“They don’t talk to us, and I feel like they should listen to us, as being the community,” Humphries said.

The Mayor says xAI will also bring economic benefits to Memphis; however, WREG spoke to Boxtown residents off-camera who say they’d like to see that economic boost in their community.

The NAACP has responded to the Health Department’s approval of xAI’s turbines, saying in part, “While the NAACP is glad that 15 of xAI’s turbines are now subject to greater transparency and accountability around their methane gas emissions, this decision ignores the community pushback.”

They also say they’re committed to holding the Health Department and xAI accountable.